Tetsuya's After Story
by Stonecoldhard12
Summary: In the afterlife, Naruto's long lost uncle deals with the hardships that come in adjusting to his new home. Along the way, help comes from familiar characters [old and new alike] in a universe where Cherry Blossom trees bloom during the spring.
1. The Transcending Hill

1

The Transcending Hill

It has been three years since Tetsuya Uzumaki entered the Pure Land. However, once Tetsuya had reached the Pure Land was when he decided to go his separate ways and ventured into another part of the Pure Land to pursue his dream. The reason that Tetsuya decided to go towards the farthest direction in the Pure Land was the result of a heated argument between him and Kushina had caused their sibling relationship to be very strained. After he had reached to his destination was when Tetsuya decided to find a place that best fitted his living arrangements. That occurred at the same time when Tetsuya got enrolled into an academy that was a few blocks from his living quarters. In the present day is where Tetsuya now a third-year student at the academy is getting ready to start the day and heads off to school.

A usual routine that Tetsuya does on the way to the academy is glancing at the scenery which is very unique. There are a few trees that have cherry blossom leaves on them which surround the entrance gates of the academy which Tetsuya stares at to admire their beauty. For this day was pretty special because the cherry blossom leaves had bloomed out to their peak and started to scatter all over the entrance grounds. " _I wonder if today is going to be a good day since the leaves are starting to blossom again. It has been a while since I had seen the beauty of these trees at their fullest on a school day._ " Tetsuya had thought to himself once he got closer to the academy grounds.

This was the time of year which Tetsuya looked forward to the most because it represented the beginning of the academic year. Also it happened to be two days after Tetsuya had found out which class group he was going to be in. Tetsuya was somewhat thrilled because the class group he got placed in had most of the people who had been in his class all of his years at the academy. However, Tetsuya had reached to the entrance grounds about thirty minutes before the first class period started. " _Oh boy I got here a little earlier than usual and hopefully make it past the hill before the first bell rings._ " Tetsuya thought to himself when he looked at the hill that was between the academy grounds and the entrance gates.

This hill was very steep and it was about a quarter mile long which was possible to make the first class period on time. Not even taking five steps onto the hill was when Tetsuya had noticed somebody standing there on the foot of the hill. It was a girl with long brown hair who had a nervous look on her face. "Sweet Bread" The girl said in a nervous tone which caught Tetsuya's attention. "Don't be scared to walk up this hill and go face this fear head on." Tetsuya said to the girl in an encouraging voice. That was when the girl noticed Tetsuya and started to walk up the hill with Tetsuya. Both Tetsuya and this girl had made it within ten minutes before classes had started for the day.


	2. The Ponderous Introduction of Hope

2

The Ponderous Introduction of Hope

Upon arriving in the classroom is when Tetsuya got ready to take his seat a familiar face had stood nearby the desk. "Good morning, Ryou. How are you doing today?" Tetsuya greeted Ryou who had some cards in her hands. Ryou Fujibayashi had been the class representative for two years and is a good friend of Tetsuya's since he first started attending the academy. "I am doing good today. Want me to read your fortune for the day, Tetsuya?" Ryou said with a gleeful smile on her face. "Sure thing, Ryou. I am hoping for a good fortune." Tetsuya responded with a joyful tone. Ryou then shuffled her fortune cards as fast as she could since there was only about seven minutes left before the instructor is supposed to arrive. Once Ryou got done shuffling was when she pulled out three cards in order for Tetsuya's fortune to be read. "Wow you have a lucky fortune for today, Tetsuya." Ryou stated with a surprised look on her face. "Well what does it state, Ryou? I know that most of your fortunes are fairly accurate." Tetsuya said with a worried look on his face.

"Tetsuya, the fortune states that you will meet with somebody who is a nice person which will alter your life forever." Ryou told the fortune to Tetsuya. This had Tetsuya starting to wonder who Ryou was referring to in her fortune. Then the bell rang to start the first class with the instructor taking roll call. However, the instructor had a weird look on his face once he finished taking roll call. " _Oh please don't tell me that those two did not show up again. I thought that Kyou had straightened them out a few days ago about their attendance issue. Well I hope they better show up sometime before the day is over._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while staring at the two empty desks that were by him. "Since Tomoya and Youhei are not going to show up any time soon. Let's start with lecture shall we." The instructor said after getting the weird look of his face. The lecture lasted for four hours which is the academy's standards for the first half of the day before free period. Then the bell sounded for free period to start. Tetsuya stood up from his seat to get ready to head to the cafeteria. " _I hope they have sweet bean bread up on the snack counter today._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he approached the cafeteria line which was crowded. Luckily there was only about three pieces of sweet bean bread up on the counter which Tetsuya grabbed one of them.

After grabbing the bread is when Tetsuya made his way to back towards the classroom where he can eat his lunch. However, Tetsuya had glanced out from the window to see a person sitting on a bench outside of the building. " _Wait a minute isn't that the girl who was standing on the bottom of the hill earlier today. She is sitting there eating lunch all alone. Maybe I should go down there to see what's going on._ " Tetsuya had thought to himself when he saw the girl from earlier sitting outside. Then Tetsuya went outside to sit nearby where the girl was and glanced at the beautiful Pure Land sky.

"You like to look at the sky as well." The girl said to Tetsuya with a gleeful look on her face. Tetsuya finishing a bite of sweet bean bread looked at the girl and said, "Yes I do like to look at the sky sometimes to look at its beauty." Then the girl had a smile while looking down on her face. "Oh by the way I forgot to introduce myself earlier while at the bottom of hill. My name is Tetsuya Uzumaki. What is your name?" Tetsuya asked in a joyful look on his face. "Well umm my name is Yuki Sakagami. That is a nice name, Tetsuya." Yuki responded with a blushing look on her face. "Why thank you Yuki and your name is very nice as well. If I may ask why are you sitting out here eating lunch all alone?" Tetsuya asked with a concern look on his face. "It's because I hardly know anybody here and feel out of place from everyone at the academy. Despite my cousin Tomoyo trying to help me getting adjusted here it's very hard for me." Yuki responded with an honest look.

Right before Tetsuya started to head back to the classroom building was when Yuki had approached him. "I was thinking that after classes get out. If you want to maybe you can come and stop by my house for dinner. Have you heard of Sakagami Bakery, that is where I live inside that building?" Yuki asking Tetsuya in a nice manner. "Ok I will accept your offer and don't worry about giving me directions. I know that the bakery is about three blocks north of my residence. It was very nice meeting you Yuki and see you later." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face. Then the both of them waved their hands and went separate ways once they entered the classroom building.

" _Wait a minute Yuki is related to Tomoyo. I know that Tomoyo is good friends with both Fujibayashi twins but they never mentioned this fact to me. Now I am starting to think that Yuki is the person which Ryou was referring to in her fortune earlier this morning_." Tetsuya pondered once he got closer to the classroom. Then he had seen two familiar faces sitting in the two empty desks near Tetsuya's seat. "It is about time you showed up Tomoya and Youhei. You're lucky that Kyou has not gotten on to you guys today or else I would have taken the blame for it. Now mentioning Kyou has me wondering if Ryou had made it back here yet." Tetsuya said with a sigh under his breath while taking a seat. "Well Ryou was in here about a couple of minutes ago but she will be back don't worry about it too much Tetsuya." Tomoya said with a grin on his face.


	3. The Requiem of Joyful Encounters

3

The Requiem of Joyful Encounters

It was not until the bell rang when Ryou had returned to the classroom and the instructor then proceeded to continue lecture for a couple of hours before classes got out for the day. Once Tetsuya had reached to his apartment was when he started thinking about the dinner that Yuki invited him for earlier. " _Before I head out to Yuki's there is something very important that needs to be done. It has been a while since I last talked to him._ " Tetsuya thought to himself before picking up his home phone to make a call. Then he dialed to the number of the person who Tetsuya had considered a father figure and kept a regular contact basis, Hiruzen Sarutobi otherwise known as the Third Hokage during his lifetime. A few rings pass by and the call went through with a familiar response from Hiruzen, "Hello Tetsuya it has been a while. How have you been?". "I have been doing good just being busy with my studies and other activities. How is everyone doing over there?" Tetsuya responded back with a confident tone in his voice. "Everyone is doing good here. Biwako asks me sometimes on how you are doing and she is doing fine. If you were wondering Minato is doing great. I know that you are still afraid on trying to reach out in talking to Minato because of what happened between you and Kushina." Hiruzen responded back with a stern voice. "Well yes I am somewhat afraid on trying to talk to Minato due to that argument long ago. That saddens me once in a while since he is after all my best friend. Sorry Lord Third for rushing the conversation but I have to be somewhere in a few minutes. So tell everyone over there I said hello. Good-bye." Tetsuya responded to signal the end of the phone call. "Ok I will tell them that you said hello. It was nice talking to you Tetsuya. Good-bye." Hiruzen answered back.

That was when Tetsuya had gotten ready to walk out of his apartment for the direction of Yuki's house. Tetsuya started to gently regain his smile back after having the phone conversation and had approached to the entrance of Sakagami Bakery. The bakery was surrounded by a couple of houses and a playground right across the street. This playground had two swing sets, three benches, and an empty spot for games involving more than a few people. Then Tetsuya entered into the Sakagami Bakery with a curious look on his face. Tetsuya started to glance around the various pastries that were on sale before a girl who was behind the counter and that is a little shorter than Tetsuya looked at him. "Welcome to Sakagami Bakery. Is there something that I may help you with?" The girl asked Tetsuya with a good look on her face. "Not really but thanks for the offer though. I was just admiring how the pastries looked is all." Tetsuya said with a stern look on his face. Around a few seconds later was when a tall male with short brown hair and another female standing right by him stared at Tetsuya. "That is the first time in a long while since we have had a customer appreciating the beauty of the pastries here at the store. My wife and I make every single one of these pastries." The male said with a casual look to Tetsuya. " _I am guessing that these people right in front of me are Yuki's family. Anyways they seem to take appreciation of their livelihood as a good compliment._ "

The female that was standing next to the male took a further inspection on the jacket which Tetsuya is wearing. "So you go to the same school as Yuki?" The female asked Tetsuya after inspection. "Yes." Tetsuya answered with an anxious look on his face. It was not long before a familiar face appeared from a room that was behind the counter wearing a chef's apron which happened to be Yuki. "Oh you made it Tetsuya. Dinner should be done here in a few minutes. I want to introduce you to my family since they are already out here. The tall brown haired guy is my father and the person standing right next to him is my mother. Then the person standing behind the counter is my little sister, Shia." Yuki stated with a smile on her face and proceeded back into the room where she was previously at. "It is very nice to meet you Tetsuya." The other members of Yuki's family said in unison to Tetsuya. "Well it is very nice to meet you guys too." Tetsuya responded back with a smile on his face.

Then they all went into the Sakagami's dining room which was situated in the far back end of the building to get ready for dinner. "Do you need any help, Yuki?" Shia asked out of concern. "Yes I do you can help me by setting these plates on the table be careful they are very hot." Yuki said with a gentle smile on her face. Shia got up to help Yuki finish dinner preparations. That was when Tetsuya had a half smile on his face upon what he saw and then faced toward the direction of Yuki's parents. "So Tetsuya where do you live at? If you don't mind me asking." Yuki's father asked out of curiosity. "Yosaki why are you asking him questions like that when we barely know anything about him." Yuki's mother said to Yosaki with a zealous look on her face. "Well I just wanted to know if he lives around here that's all Shiznae. Don't give me that look while in front of our guest." Yosaki responded with a calm voice. "I only live about a few blocks south of here in the big apartment complex." Tetsuya answered to Yosaki's question. Upon answering that question was when dinner had made its way to the table with Yuki and Shia once they had reached to their seats.

The food was then blessed and Tetsuya had observed the food to see what it was. Then a smile came onto Tetsuya's face when he realized that it was pork cutlets. He took a bite of the pork cutlets and could not believe how tasteful it really was. " _Wow this food in terms of taste is very good compared to what Kushina used to make for me when I was younger. Even though that is a hard feat to accomplish but it's true_." Tetsuya thought to himself in response on tasting the pork cutlets on his plate. "Is there something wrong with the pork cutlets, Tetsuya?" Yuki had asked out of concern. "There is nothing wrong with the pork cutlets. They are really good." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face. That was when everyone in the room had turned to Yuki with joyous looks on their faces. "This is the first time that I have gotten a really nice complement on my cooking." Yuki stated with a smile on her face.

After dinner was when everyone had a cup of tea which was very potent enough to drink. "So how long has the bakery been opened for?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. "Well this bakery was founded by both Shiznae and myself about a few years ago. You see we knew how to bake many pastries and wanted to share our talents for the neighborhood. Yuki and Shia help out a lot in the bakery when they are not busy with their studies." Yosaki responded to Tetsuya's question. A short while later is when Tetsuya got done telling both Yosaki and Shiznae more information about himself outside of the bakery. That occurred while Yuki and Shia were cleaning up dinner dishes. "Tetsuya it sounds like you really are a nice and caring person. It was sad though to hear about your past. Thank you for sharing this information with us." Shiznae said with a concerned look on her face. "Your welcome. Well it's getting late so I better head back to the apartment. Thank you guys for the dinner and was very nice to meet you." Tetsuya responded while making his way back to the apartments. The dinner with Yuki's family began a chain of events which impacted Tetsuya's afterlife for all eternity.


	4. The Tiding Bonds

4

The Tiding Bonds

The following day at school is when Tetsuya begun to analyze some observations he made the night before. "Is there something wrong, Tetsuya?" Ryou asked out of curiosity. "Well I am starting to wonder if the fortune that you read to me yesterday is actually coming true." Tetsuya responded with a ponderous look on his face. "How is that so Tetsuya? Since most of the fortunes I have ever given ended up having some flaws in it." Ryou stated in a calm manner. "It is something that I think which should be addressed to both of you and Kyou. Because I need another person's opinion on this situation. Can the both of you meet me by the entrance gates after school?" Tetsuya asked Ryou since the first bell for class was about to ring at any moment. "Sure thing, Tetsuya. Me and Kyou will be there." Ryou responded to Tetsuya's question with a calm look on her face. Then the bell rang to start the day of classes and the first half of this day went by faster than usual.

It had approached the lunch period when Tetsuya had found Yuki again in the same spot that she sat in the day before. "Hello, Yuki. I wanted to say thank you for the dinner last night and that your family was very nice." Tetsuya greeted Yuki who was eating sweet bean bread for lunch. "Your welcome, Tetsuya. My family is like that with everybody they meet." Yuki said with a smile on her face. Then Tetsuya was trying to find the right words on explaining an observation of his about last night until. "Well I was wondering something about last night and did not have the chance to ask you about it until now. If that is ok with you?" Tetsuya asked without hesitation in his voice. "Sure you can ask me anything." Yuki responded back. In that moment was when the light had reached its peak on the school grounds.

"What is the bond between you and Shia like? The reason I am asking this is because I had seen how Shia came to your help right away before dinner last night." Tetsuya asked the question in a calm tone and with words Yuki could understand. At first, Yuki was baffled into why Tetsuya would ask such a question until she realized that he was being serious. "The bond that I have with my sister is very precious to me. I truly care and love Shia so much that I would never let anything bad happen to her. Despite the bad situations that me and her get into but our bond will never go away. You can say that I have a very strong bond and close relationship with Shia." In that moment was when Tetsuya had a sad look on his face. "What's wrong Tetsuya?" Yuki said with a very concerned look. "Well upon listening to how your bond with Shia is very strong. I was reminded of a similar bond that I had for someone very dear to me and how the bond gradually started to fade away. To be honest I do not know when the time will come for my special bond to return in its former glory again." Tetsuya responded with an honest look on his face.

This started to wonder Yuki a little bit into what Tetsuya was talking about and then she asked him who he was referring to. "The person that I had the special bond with was my older sister, Kushina. Our bond was very special. It had grown even stronger when she married my best friend, Minato. Then about three years ago when I first stepped foot into the afterlife is a point where that special bond started to deteriorate." Tetsuya explained to Yuki about his bond with Kushina. "How did it start to fall apart if you don't mind me asking?" Yuki asked out of curiosity. "Well it started because of a heated argument that ensued between me and Kushina. The argument was her overreacting badly about the circumstances into why I wanted to come into the afterlife. This was around the same time I had gotten my things ready to move down here actually." Tetsuya responded with a normal look returning to his face. It was at that time when both Tetsuya and Yuki realized that there was about five minutes left before the bell rings again to signal the final half of the school day. "Well it was nice talking to you Tetsuya. I better head back before the bell rings again. Hope I can see you again soon and thank you for being honest with me." Yuki said with a smile on her face. "I hope to see you again soon and your welcome, Yuki." Tetsuya said with a big smile on his face.

Then the school day came to an end after a long final period lecture from the instructor. That was when Tetsuya had waited for Ryou to get her twin sister Kyou at the meeting spot and the both of them showed up at the arranged time. "Glad that the both of you made it on time or else I would have met you guys on the school grounds." Tetsuya said to both Fujibayashi sisters. "Sorry about that Tetsuya you see we ran into a short problem which we dealt with. Also, I did tell Kyou on the way here about what you told me this morning and she will help you out." Ryou stated with a relief look on her face. Upon finding a spot to sit was when Tetsuya explained the entire situation about Yuki to both Fujibayashi sisters. "Well it sounds like to me that you might be starting to having feelings for her, Tetsuya. I am surprised how you think that encountering Yuki is a result from Ryou's fortune." Kyou said to Tetsuya in an honest voice. "I can understand why you had doubts this morning based on the results of yesterday's fortune. Thank you for sharing this information with us." Ryou said about the situation. "I umm…really can't say that I have feelings for Yuki. But she is a very caring and sweet person. Would you mind if I can ask Yuki to come along and have lunch with us tomorrow?" Tetsuya asked with a nervous and bashful look on his face. Then both Fujibayashi sisters said yes to Tetsuya's request and came the time where Tetsuya had to figure out how to ask Yuki about the next day's lunch plans.


	5. The Unforgettable Lunch Date Response

5

The Unforgettable Lunch Date Response

Upon arriving back at his apartment was when Tetsuya had come up with the perfect solution to ask Yuki on the lunch date with the Fujibayashi twins. While Tetsuya was getting ready to fix himself dinner someone started knocking on his door. " _Who could be here at the apartment complex in this particular hour? I better answer it before they continue knocking to get my attention._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he got to his door. Then Tetsuya opened the door to see a familiar face appear it was none other than Shia, Yuki's younger sister. "Wait a minute you are Yuki's sister, Shia. The first question I would like to ask is what are you doing here?" Tetsuya asked Shia with a shocked look on his face. "Mind if I come in Tetsuya. Then, I'll tell you the reason why I came here." Shia stated with a sigh under her breath. "Alright you can come in. However, make sure you take off your shoes." Tetsuya said to Shia in a calm manner.

Then both Tetsuya and Shia took a seat in the living room so they could ready to discuss about why Shia unexpectedly showed up at Tetsuya's apartment. "Ok now are you ready to explain why you are here Shia?" Tetsuya asked Shia out of curiosity. "Alright the reason why I came here is about my sister Yuki. To start things off well when she came home from school. Yuki had a really big smile on her face which was unusual for my family and that has not happened in a very long time. You see Yuki on most days comes home from school has a frown look on her face. So I had to ask Yuki why she had a big smile on her face. Then I will not forget what she said to me. Yuki told me the reason why she came home with a big smile was because of you Tetsuya. She later stated about the conversations the both of you had at school and even called you a friend that makes her completely happy to be around with. I thank you for that, Tetsuya." Shia stated the situation to Tetsuya. Then Shia got up to get ready to leave Tetsuya's apartment before Tetsuya realized that this was the opportunity to have the message about the lunch date relayed to Yuki. "Wait before you go Shia. There is a big favor I want you to do for me." Tetsuya said with a concerned look on his face. "Sure what is it Tetsuya?" Shia asked out of curiosity. "Umm…can you ask Yuki if she's available tomorrow because I am inviting her to join me and a couple of my friends for lunch possibly do fun things afterwards? Here is the phone number that you guys can contact me." Tetsuya said with a nervous look on his face while writing down his phone number. Shia then had a smile on her face when she picked up the note containing Tetsuya's number and immediately wrote down the contact information of Yuki's number. "Alright I'll ask her once I get home and here is Yuki's phone number. That is to make sure you don't get confused on who is calling you, Tetsuya. Well I better get going or else my family will start to get concerned for being gone this long." Shia responded with a calm look on her face.

Then Shia headed off for home and Tetsuya had the nervous look on his face replaced with a smile on his face. Upon arriving back at the Sakagami bakery was when Shia and seen Yuki working behind the counter. "If you are looking for mom and dad. They have gone to the grocery store to buy more supplies for the bakery. Where have you been Shia? I started to worry about you." Yuki said with a concerned look on her face. "Well that is what I wanted to tell you about because it is very important. Sorry if I had worried you Yuki." Shia responded with a gleeful look. So it was in that moment when Shia proceeded to tell Yuki the conversation she had with Tetsuya at his apartment and handed Yuki the paper containing Tetsuya's phone number. "Well I am not sure yet about the response to his invitation request. I have barely known him for a couple days and need to understand what he is really like." Yuki stated her feeling uncertain about Tetsuya's invitation to the lunch gathering. Upon hearing this was when Shia started to think on what to say next. "Yuki, look I understand why you are being uncertain about this request. But please don't let that control your decision and I do not want to see you being sad any longer. This is the perfect opportunity for you to really find out if Tetsuya is the kind of person you told me about earlier today." Shia said to Yuki with an honest conviction in her face. "Alright, I will call him after dinner to give my response about tomorrow. Thank you for helping me out Shia and being truthful with me." Yuki stated while she gave a hug to Shia.

Meanwhile at Tetsuya's apartment, Tetsuya had got done eating his dinner and did some straightening up of the living room. Then the phone started to ring and Tetsuya had rushed to pick it up which was only a few feet from where he was standing. "Hello. Who is this?" Tetsuya responded once he picked up the phone. "This is Yuki. I hope this is the right number." Yuki answered back with a nervous tone. "Yes you got the right number, Yuki. So Shia had told you about the invitation for tomorrow." Tetsuya said with a reserved tone in his voice. "That is right she told me everything. Yes, I am accepting your invitation request for tomorrow. So what time will you and your friends be here around because I want to show them the bakery?" Yuki said to Tetsuya. "Well I am planning on being there around later in the morning. So I will see you tomorrow and my friends are thrilled to meet you." Tetsuya responded before he started to hang up the phone. "See you tomorrow Tetsuya." Yuki stated back and hanged up her phone.

Immediately after hanging up the phone is when Tetsuya looked at a photo that was hanging on the wall above him. The photo was taken before Tetsuya had moved to the apartment and he treasured it very dearly. It was more so of a portrait that had Tetsuya with a smile on his face standing next to Minato. " _Well I am the happiest that I have been in a very long time. I know you would be very proud of me, Minato._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while he looked at the portrait. This was the moment when Tetsuya had realized that in one of his joyous times in the Pure Land he dearly missed his closest friend. Even though Minato had no part in the argument that occurred three years' prior between Tetsuya and Kushina but when it happened Tetsuya though that he did.


	6. Fun Filled Lunch Group Date

6

The Fun Filled Day with the Fujibayashi Sisters

Tetsuya had woken up earlier than he usually does and got ready to head out before a knock came on his door. "Who is it?" Tetsuya responded while he was getting his shoes on. "It's only me and Ryou. Are you ready Tetsuya?" Kyou answered with an impatient look on her face. Then Tetsuya stepped out of the door to greet both Fujibayashi sisters and locked the door to his apartment. "Well I was wondering Tetsuya is Yuki going to be joining with us today?" Ryou had asked out of curiosity. "Yes she is planning on joining with us today. We have to meet Yuki at her place first." Tetsuya responded back with a calm look on his face. That is when they left to head towards the Sakagami Bakery. Upon arriving at the entrance of the bakery is when Kyou had a puzzling look on her face. "Is this where Yuki lives? It does not seem very far from your apartment, Tetsuya." Kyou asked now with a wondrous look. "Yes this is the place, Kyou. Come on inside if you guys want to. I'll go and see if Yuki's ready." Tetsuya responded as he started to enter the bakery.

Upon arriving inside the bakery is when Shiznae and Shia greeted Tetsuya. "Good morning Shia and Shiznae. I was wondering if Yuki was ready." Tetsuya greeted both Yuki's mother and sister. "Well Yuki is still getting ready. Yuki told us about the conversation you two had last night and she is very thrilled about today." Shiznae said to Tetsuya with a smile on her face. Then Shiznae looked at Shia and asked her, "Shia, can you please tell Yuki that Tetsuya's here?". "Ok Mom I will go do that right now." Shia responded back and proceeded to the back to tell Yuki about Tetsuya's arrival. Then a couple of minutes pass by and Shia came back with Yuki standing right next to her. "Oh hello Tetsuya. Does this outfit look alright for today?" Yuki asked being concerned about the nice shirt and jeans she is wearing. "It looks pretty good to me. My two friends are waiting outside for us." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face.

Then Tetsuya and Yuki left the bakery so they can meet up with the Fujibayashi twins who were waiting outside. "It is very nice to meet you, Yuki. I am Kyou and the person next to me is my twin sister, Ryou." Kyou greeted Yuki. "Well it is very nice to meet both you and Ryou. So you are the two friends that Tetsuya mentioned about for today's lunch plans." Yuki greeted back to Kyou. Both Kyou and Ryou nodded their yes on Yuki's response. "I see that all of you got to introduce yourselves. Before we pick out a place to eat for lunch, Yuki wanted to show you guys the bakery." Tetsuya addressed to the three women. "Ok we will take tour of the bakery. Are you going to stay right here until we get done, Tetsuya?" Ryou asked Tetsuya. Tetsuya shook his head in a yes fashion and so the Fujibayashi twins went with Yuki to tour the Sakagami bakery.

"Wow that is a really nice bakery your family operates, Yuki. Well we are ready to head out for our fun-filled day." Kyou said to Yuki once they went outside after touring the bakery. Upon reaching where Tetsuya was standing is when all three women had noticed that he had his head down. "What's wrong Tetsuya?" Yuki asked Tetsuya with a concerned look on her face. Then Tetsuya raised his head after hearing the question and got up from the bench he was sitting on. "Oh nothing's wrong, Yuki. I just was thinking about how much fun all of us are going to have today." Tetsuya answered with a smile on his face. That put a sigh of relief on Yuki, Kyou, and Ryou's faces. So they headed towards the shopping district which was about a mile from Sakagami bakery.

Once they arrived at the shopping district was when Tetsuya started to look at the many food options there were available. "So where do you guys want to eat at for lunch?" Tetsuya asked after surveying the food option. That was when Yuki, Kyou, and Ryou had discussed on only one place which seemed very reasonable. "Tetsuya, we decided to go eat at the noodle shop that is right across the street from where are standing. I sometimes go there with my sister and my mother. They serve a variety of ramen noodle dishes." Yuki answered with a smile on her face. "Ok that sounds good to me." Tetsuya said in agreement to Yuki's response. So all four friends headed towards the noodle shop to have their lunch.

Upon getting a seat at the noodle shop is when the cook behind the counter asked Tetsuya what he wanted to order. "Well I want the bowl of ramen with the slice of pork on top." Tetsuya stated his order. Then Yuki and the Fujibayashi twins proceeded to order their food. "So do you like to eat ramen Yuki?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. "Yes ramen is one of my favorite foods other than homemade meals." Yuki answered with confidence. While the food was still being prepared is when Yuki asked many questions to Kyou and Ryou on the grounds of getting to know them better. " _Hmm…so one of Yuki's favorite foods is ramen. That reminds so much of Kushina and how she loved ramen. Anyways this was a good idea to bring Yuki along and it's turning out for the best._ " Tetsuya thought to himself after Yuki's response. It was in that moment when the food had come out and lunch was served.

Part way through eating lunch is when Yuki had mentioned about a particular day coming up. "Just out of curiosity, Yuki. What is happening on this day that you are talking about?" Tetsuya asked Yuki. "Well it would have to be my birthday that is coming up in two weeks." Yuki responded with a smile on her face. This had a surprised look on Tetsuya, Kyou, and Ryou's faces upon hearing the response. After eating lunch was when the four friends decided to look around at some of the stores for a couple of hours.

Then it came time to head back towards Sakagami Bakery to drop off Yuki and took a different route on the way back. "I had a lot of fun today hanging out with you guys. It was nice meeting you and Ryou. Have a safe trip back home and hoping to see you guys again soon." Yuki said to Kyou with a happy and thankful mood in her face. "Well if you want to hang out with us at school or at any time rather. We really do not mind at all. It was very nice meeting you today Yuki." Kyou said back in a nice tone. Yuki then later said to Tetsuya, "I thank you for today, Tetsuya. Also, I am glad that you asked me to tag along today. This is the most fun I have had in a long time. See you later." In that moment, Tetsuya had barely taken a step to catch up with the Fujibayashi sisters before he looked at Yuki. "Umm…I am glad to hear that you had a good time. It was really fun to hang out with you today. Well I got to go so see you later, Yuki." Tetsuya said with a nervous look on his face. That is when Tetsuya headed back to his apartment with Kyou and Ryou right behind him since their house is on the same block.

"Tetsuya, I think you have strong feelings for Yuki." Kyou said to Tetsuya. Then Ryou shook her head in agreement with Kyou's statement. "You really think so. Well I guess it was not hard to notice especially with what happened today." Tetsuya stated with a calm look on his face. "It was noticeable after you said goodbye to Yuki. We are not far from your apartment now, Tetsuya." Ryou said in relation to Tetsuya's comment. Upon approaching Tetsuya's apartment is when the trio said their goodbyes and thanked each other for today. " _Wow I am starting to believe that Kyou and Ryou are really right on what they said. My feelings for Yuki have starting become more intense. Also, now that Yuki told me her birthday is coming up very soon and it has me wondering what gift I should give her._ " Tetsuya thought to himself before he got ready for bed.


	7. Preparations for the Anticipated Day

7

Preparations for the Anticipated Day

Ten days had passed since the lunch date with the Fujibayashi twins and Yuki, still barely having any idea on what to give Yuki for a birthday present has been a struggle for Tetsuya. During that ten-day span, Tetsuya had gotten to know Yuki and her family a lot better since he would stop by the bakery after school. " _Oh boy it is only four days until Yuki's birthday and I still have not gotten her a gift yet. Well if the gift is for a friend then it really is not a problem to find one. However, since this for a girl that I have strong feelings for then it is going to be tough. Because I do not know if she will love the gift that I hopefully can find. Maybe I should seek out advice from an old friend first._ " Tetsuya had thought to himself while sitting on his sofa and proceeded to pick up his phone. It was in that moment when Tetsuya had dialed the number to the Sarutobi residence.

"Oh hello, Tetsuya. How are you?" Hiruzen responded to Tetsuya's phone call. "I am doing good. Well there is a question I want to ask." Tetsuya responded back. After that response is when Tetsuya started to act a little nervous over the phone. This was unusual considering the phone conversation involved with someone who had known Tetsuya most of his life and afterlife. "Ok what is the question you wanted to ask me?" Hiruzen asked with a stern voice on his end of the phone conversation. "Umm…what kind of gift would be suitable for a person that you deeply care about and have strong feelings for?" Tetsuya nervously stated the question back to Hiruzen. That was when Hiruzen had started to feel a little baffled in what Tetsuya was asking at first before realizing the purpose of this phone conversation. "I had never expected that kind of question coming out of you, Tetsuya. Since I can understand where you are coming from well the solution is quite simple. Pick out either a piece of jewelry or something that the person you care about really loves the most." Hiruzen boldly responded back. "Thank you for the advice again, Professor. Tell everyone over there that I said hello. Good-bye." Tetsuya said before he ended the phone conversation.

After the phone conversation is when Tetsuya started to remember some of the recent conversations he had with Yuki. In those conversations was when Yuki had pointed out two things she really likes and addressed them to Tetsuya. " _Well Yuki did say she likes stuffed animals and necklaces. Why not give her both a nice necklace and a stuffed animal? Now that is a great idea. So I better head off to the shopping district tomorrow after school in search of these gifts._ " Tetsuya had thought before the day's conclusion came to pass. Then the following day after school is when Tetsuya had set in motion his thought out plan not before a familiar face stumbled right behind him. It was Ryou Fujibayashi that had stumbled right behind Tetsuya on the entrance to the academy. "Sorry if I bumped right behind you, Tetsuya." Ryou apologized once she got back up from the fall. "It's alright Ryou. I was actually going to the shopping district to get Yuki's birthday gifts." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face. Tetsuya had explained to Ryou earlier that day in private about what he was going to give Yuki for her birthday. Then Kyou appeared with a blunt look on her face after overhearing the conversation and decided to signal Tetsuya towards her direction.

"So Tetsuya have you told Yuki about how you feel about her yet?" Kyou asked Tetsuya this straightforward question. "Well I am going to wait until her birthday. That way so it can give me time to find the right words on my feelings for Yuki." Tetsuya honestly answered Kyou's question. Kyou with a smile on her face proceeded to meet up with Ryou and headed on their way. Meanwhile, Tetsuya went towards the direction of the shopping district before the stores were starting to close down for the day. Upon arriving in the shopping district, Tetsuya had been in luck because the department store was still open. Then Tetsuya had found a necklace with a star shaped pendant and a stuffed bear which he thought were the perfect gifts for Yuki.

After he had bought the gifts is when Tetsuya decided to go back to his apartment. Once arriving back at his apartment Tetsuya had seen a note stuck on the front door. Upon taking the note down from the door is when Tetsuya chose to read it once he got situated in his living room. " _Hmm... this is a suspicious note. I wonder what it says. Was somebody wanting to talking to me while I was out._ " Tetsuya had thought to himself before he started to read what was written on the note. The note was written to inform Tetsuya that someone wanted to meet him at the playground area in front of Sakagami Bakery as soon as possible. So after he threw the note in the trash can is when Tetsuya left the apartment heading towards the playground. Immediately after stepping foot into the playground is when Tetsuya had seen Yosaki standing there anticipating for Tetsuya's arrival.

"So you got the note I wrote on your doorstep, Tetsuya. You see I was meaning to talk to you about something very important. However, the head of your apartment complex told me you were gone and that is when I placed the note for you to meet me here." Yosaki said to Tetsuya once they found a bench to sit on. Tetsuya looked a little distraught into why Yuki's father wanted to talk to him about an urgent matter. "What is it that you wanted to talk me about, Yosaki?" Tetsuya had asked out of curiosity. Then Yosaki with a sigh under his breath and brought out a thermos alongside an empty cup stated, "Tetsuya, do you want to have a cup of tea?". Tetsuya shook his head in a yes fashion before Yosaki poured the cup of tea and being aware that this would be a long explanation for the sudden meeting.

Upon gazing at the stars shining is when Yosaki had a calm look on his face toward Tetsuya's direction. "Well there is something I think you need to know about Yuki. This is something that only me and Shiznae had known about for a couple of years now. It pertains to why Yuki had always stayed around us and did not get out much before she met you, Tetsuya." Yosaki stated with a stern look on his face to Tetsuya. Then Tetsuya had a calm look on his face after he had taken a sip of his tea and proceeded to ask Yosaki, "So what was it that caused Yuki to be this way?". With a sigh under his breath, Yosaki thought of where to begin telling the tale of an incident that occurred in Yuki's past. "The incident that I am going to be talking about began about three years ago. Before this incident, Yuki wanted to go to many different places after she got done with school and bringing Shia everywhere they went. Then on Yuki's birthday which had been an ordinary day and Yuki had decided to go towards the shopping district with Shia. Shiznae and myself had given the okay for them to head out that way since Yuki wanted to spend some of the money we gave her on that day. A few hours had passed by and we had not heard from either of them which got us very concerned." Yosaki said before he took a sip of tea out of the thermos he had brought with him.

That started to make Tetsuya even more curious into what Yosaki was even talking about in the first place. Then Yosaki after taking the sip of tea and with a blunt look on his face said, "Then I had heard a knock on our door and Shiznae decided to see who was there. By the time Shiznae came back to where I was she had a very sad look on her face and it was then that I knew something was terribly wrong. Once I had reached to the front of the bakery was a sight that I will never forget. For what I had seen is that Yuki had been crying with Shia who had been out consciously. It was then that Yuki had proceeded to tell me and Shiznae that while walking out one of the stores Shia who had been waiting for Yuki outside unexpectedly fainted which caused her to panic. In my heart, I think that Yuki never forgave herself for what happened on that day. It was in that moment when Yuki had decided to stay closer to home so she could stay right by Shia's side and gave up on going out to have fun outside of school. Every year on the day that the incident happened Yuki gets sad or depressed on her birthday." Tetsuya had a shocked look on his face upon hearing what Yosaki had to say. "How come you wanted to tell me this now, Yosaki? If you don't mind me asking." Tetsuya asked Yosaki out curiosity. Yosaki then responded with a calm tone in his voice, "I did not want to tell you this the first time me and Shiznae met you was for a particular reason. It was that we did not want to see Yuki feeling depressed again if I told you that story and made you uninterested in seeing us again. After all you are the first person since that incident who made Yuki feel happy. Now after getting to know you these past couple of weeks I have realized something that pertains to you, Tetsuya."

Upon hearing that response is when Tetsuya pondered into the purpose why Yosaki had told him about the feelings Yuki has on her birthday. "What is it that you are starting to realize about me, Yosaki?" Tetsuya asked Yosaki with a calm look on his face. Then Yosaki responded honestly by saying, "Well Tetsuya I am starting to realize how important you are to Yuki after all of the time we have gotten to know you. Also I know how you feel about my daughter even though that is something I usually do not say to any guy friends of Yuki's however you are an exception. Well Shiznae and myself are throwing a little birthday party for Yuki on her birthday if you want to come. It will be our little secret." After hearing that response is when Tetsuya became shocked that Yosaki, Yuki's own father had figured out Tetsuya's feelings about Yuki. "Sure I will come to the party, Yosaki. By the way how did you figure out that I have strong feelings for Yuki, your own daughter?" Tetsuya responded right as he was about to leave for his apartment. "Well it is because I was the same way upon the time I had fallen in love with Shiznae. Also it happened to be a father's intuition to think that in the first place. By the way thanks for letting me have this opportunity to talk to you, Tetsuya. Anyways I will see you at the party then." Yosaki responded as he was about head back to the bakery. After they greeted each other with goodbyes is when Tetsuya and Yosaki went their separate ways.

Once Tetsuya had made it back to his apartment is when he decided to make himself dinner since it was getting late. While eating dinner and with a smile on his face is when Tetsuya had thought to himself, " _After what Yosaki had told me about what happened to Yuki and realizing my own feelings for her. This has given me even more confidence to express my feelings towards Yuki on her birthday. I now wonder if Yuki has any strong feelings for me despite what everyone else around me is been saying these past couple of weeks. Well I hope that this birthday party will be one that either myself or Yuki will never forget for the rest of eternity._ " Then after cleaning up his dinner is when Tetsuya had wrapped the gifts and put them in a spot in which he can easily remember.


	8. The Most Wonderful Birthday of Eternity

8

The Most Wonderful Birthday in Eternity

Then two days passed by and Yuki had a concerned look on her face once she entered her bedroom after eating dinner. "Yuki, mind if I come in." Shia stated once she got near Yuki's bedroom. "Sure you can come in here, Shia. You almost scared me there for a moment and I thought it was mom who was right behind me." Yuki said with a sigh of relief. Upon getting situated in Yuki's bedroom is when Shia had a calm look on her face like she was about to say something very important. "What is it that you wanted to talk with me about, Shia?" Yuki had asked out of curiosity. Shia with a sigh under her breath responded by saying, "Well I wanted to know if you were alright since your birthday is tomorrow." It was in that moment when Yuki had a gleeful look on her face.

"Yes I am going to be alright, Shia. Just that I am starting to feel a little nervous about my birthday. Mind if I have a sister-sister talk with you about something very important." Yuki said while clearing off her desk. Shia was startled at first in what Yuki had asked her but immediately realized that she was serious. "I really do not mind that at all for it has been a while since we had the last sister-sister talk. Yuki, what is the important thing that you want to talk with me about?" Shia asked with a smile on her face. Yuki then acted a little nervous and had a blushing look on her face. "Well umm… thing is that I have been getting these strange feelings recently in which I had never felt before. Shia, the thing about it is that these feelings act very strongly whenever I am around Tetsuya." Yuki asked with the blushed look still on her face. Shia with a smiling grin on her face responded by saying, "Yuki, it sounds like you have feelings for Tetsuya. What is your heart telling you?" Then Yuki took a few seconds to come up with the right way to answering Shia's question. After taking a couple of deep breaths is when Yuki responded to Shia's question saying, "Deep down my heart is telling me that I do have strong feelings for Tetsuya. It is at the point to where I am starting to fall in love with him. After all, Tetsuya is a kind person who has a caring personality and he makes me very happy every time I am around him. This is the reason why I am feeling nervous about my birthday. I don't know if he will see me tomorrow and think I am crazy enough to explain my feelings to him." Shia upon hearing this was very happy to hear what Yuki said. "Don't worry I strongly believe that you will see Tetsuya tomorrow. Also, it is not crazy if you explain your feelings to him because I'll bet you he feels the same way about you, Yuki. Good I will be heading back to my room and it was very nice to have this talk with you." Shia said before leaving Yuki's bedroom. Yuki thanked Shia for having the conversation and proceeded to get ready on ending her day.

Meanwhile, Tetsuya had been wondering on how to find the right words on his feelings to Yuki. This was mind-boggling for Tetsuya even after having the deep conversation with Yosaki two nights' prior. " _Well I suppose the words will come to me when I see Yuki at the party. Since this has been a tough couple of days for myself emotionally._ " Tetsuya had thought of this to himself before he ended his day.

Then the anticipated day had arrived and Tetsuya had woken up in a good moodsince after all it was Yuki's birthday. Tetsuya put Yuki's gifts into a very decorative bag and started to head towards the Sakagami bakery a few minutes before the party started. Upon arriving at the Sakagami bakery is when Tetsuya was greeted by Shiznae and Yosaki. "Hello Tetsuya so you came for the party?" Shia asked once Tetsuya entered the bakery in a quiet tone in her voice. Tetsuya then responded back with a smile on his face whispered into Shia's ear, "Yes I am here for the party, Shia." It was in that moment when Tetsuya heard Yuki shouting that dinner was done and for everyone to come into the dining room. Before Tetsuya could even do anything, he was pulled aside by Yosaki. "Listen to me Tetsuya. I want to you to hide behind the counter." Yosaki said to Tetsuya. "Why do you want me to hide behind the counter?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. "It is that Yuki does not know you have come for the party. Also, this is the ultimate surprise that I think Yuki will enjoy and the counter is big enough for you to hide in, Tetsuya." Yosaki responded with an honest look on his face.

Once Tetsuya had hidden himself behind the counter is when Shiznae appeared to make sure everything was in place. "Shiznae, do you know what the signal is supposed to be for me to come out of this counter?" Tetsuya had asked in a quiet voice. Shiznae got closer to Tetsuya and told him, "The signal will be when either Yosaki or myself wave out a hand for you to see. That is when you will come out and head towards the back to where we will be. Did you understand what I said?" Then Tetsuya shook his head yes in response to Shiznae's question and proceeded to back to his hiding spot. That is when Tetsuya started to wonder if Yosaki and Shiznae's plan on surprising Yuki would work or not.

After Shiznae had arrived to the dining room upon giving Tetsuya instructions on the signal for him to come out is when the Sakagami family started to eat dinner. Halfway through eating dinner is when Yuki had suddenly started to feel sad and proceeded to say, "Why should I celebrate my birthday if I cannot forgive myself for what happened to Shia?" Unbeknownst to Yuki, Tetsuya had overheard what happened and managed without hesitation to stay in the hiding spot. " _Oh so that is what Yosaki had warned me about the other day. However, I used to be the same way when I was alive. My situation was gravely different and lasted five times longer than Yuki's situation. How my situation was resolved ended up being me forgiving the people who had been hurt._ " Tetsuya thought to himself after overhearing the conversation. Then Yosaki had responded with a stern look on his voice to Yuki saying, "Yuki please do not blame yourself for what happened three years ago with Shia. I do not want your birthday being ruined. We care about you so much that no one wants to see you getting hurt."

Once their dinner had finished is when Yosaki signaled Shiznae to go get Tetsuya from out of the counter. "Sorry on getting all stern towards you, Yuki. To make you feel better your mother and I have a surprise for you." Yosaki stated as he apologized to Yuki for the actions he made during dinner. "It's okay, Dad. I now realized all thanks to what you said made perfect sense to me. With that being said I am sorry for everything." Yuki said to her family. That put a smile on Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia's faces with Yuki stating her forgiveness about the incident. This put a smile on Tetsuya's face and thought to himself, " _Well I am glad that Yuki finally made peace with the situation which Yosaki had told me about earlier. However, there is one piece of the puzzle left for Yuki to be happy again and that is when I surprise her with my arrival._ " Then Tetsuya seen Shiznae's hand wave out so he had come out of the counter and proceeded to head towards the dining room with Shiznae being ahead of him.

Yuki now feeling anxious about what the surprise that her father was referring to is going to be. Shiznae once she reached the dining room said to Yosaki, "Do you mind if you can bring in the other chair that is in the kitchen?". Yosaki replied back, "Sure thing. Where do you want me to place it?" Shiznae stood in the spot where she wanted the chair to be placed at in the dining room. Tetsuya who was standing in the hallway since he did not want to be in the way of Yosaki getting the chair. Once the chair was situated in place is when Yuki started to get nervous in anticipation of the surprise. Then Shiznae walked up to Tetsuya and said to him, "You can come in now. We got a chair available for you in the dining room." Yosaki had met them halfway saying, "You guys ready to do this?". Then both Shiznae and Tetsuya had shaken their heads saying yes.

"Yuki, are you ready for the surprise?" Yosaki asked Yuki with encouragement in his voice. Yuki shook her head in a yes fashion since she could not wait for the revealing of her surprise from her parents. It was then that Shiznae proceeded to go into the dining room and waved her hand out to signal Tetsuya to head on in there as well. Both Yosaki and Shiznae shouted out, "SURPRISE" once Tetsuya had appeared in the dining room. Upon seeing Tetsuya is when Yuki had a huge smile on her face with a tear starting to form in her eye. "Happy birthday, Yuki. Here is a bag that I thought you would enjoy opening." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face once he handed Yuki the bag of gifts.

Once Yuki pulled the items out of the bag her face started to tear up with a joyful smile and looked at the stuffed bear wearing the star shaped necklace. "Thank you, Tetsuya. This is one of the best gifts I have ever gotten from anybody." Yuki said after wiping the tears off her face. Tetsuya responded by saying, "You are welcome, Yuki." After Yuki, had put her gift away in her bedroom is when everyone decided to have a slice of some birthday cake that Shiznae made.

Sometime after eating the cake was when Tetsuya got ready to head back to his apartment not before thanking both Yosaki and Shiznae for letting him come to Yuki's birthday party. Barely reaching halfway between the bakery and his apartment is when Tetsuya seen Yuki approaching up to him. "Wait a minute, Tetsuya. Umm… there is something I want to tell you. Thank you for giving me one of the greatest birthdays I ever had in the afterlife." Yuki said with a nervous look on her face. Then Tetsuya had a blushed look on his face towards the direction of Yuki and said, "You are most certainly welcome, Yuki. Well Uhh… there is something I want to say to you." Yuki started to get nervous on what Tetsuya was trying to say.

It was in that moment when Tetsuya still with the blushed look on his face showing no hesitation proceeded to say, "Yuki, you are truly the most caring person that I have ever met. Whenever I am near you well you make me feel very happy. *sighs* Deep down from the bottom of my heart, I like you a lot. It feels like even at this very moment that I am starting to fall in love with you. Will you consider going out on a date with me just only the two of us?" Upon hearing those words is when Yuki had a smile on her face dripping very few tears. Then Yuki responded back by saying, "I truly do like you a lot, Tetsuya. Whenever I am right by your side it feels like I gain a lot of confidence and being a very strong person. My feelings for you are very strong. Yes, I will go on a date with you." Tetsuya had the biggest smile on his face and a tear started to shed down in his eye. "We will discuss tomorrow on what we are going to do on our first date if that is ok with you?" Tetsuya asked Yuki. "I am ok with that since it is getting late anyways. So, see you tomorrow, Tetsuya." Yuki responded with a smile on her face while she headed back towards the bakery.


	9. The First Date Abroad

9

First Date Abroad on Two Fateful Lovers

Upon arriving back at his apartment is when Tetsuya had got out a piece of paper and started to jot down on a couple of ideas for where the first date is to take place. " _I hope one of these ideas will work. Well this is all I can do for now and wait to see which idea Yuki chooses for our date._ " Tetsuya thought to himself after he put the ideas for the first date somewhere nearby. Then the following day is when Tetsuya got ready to head out for school and picked up the paper containing the ideas to be put in his pocket. Once he arrived into his classroom, Tetsuya greeted Ryou after he took his seat before classes began. "So how did your weekend turn out, Tetsuya?" Ryou asked Tetsuya. Before Tetsuya could answer Ryou's question, a familiar face had proceeded in the direction of Tetsuya and Ryou. "Oh, Kyou what are you doing here?" Ryou chuckled to realize that Kyou was right behind her.

"Well I am here to find out how Tetsuya's weekend went. You asked him that question already didn't you, Ryou." Kyou said with a sigh of relief. Then Ryou proceeded to tell Kyou that Tetsuya was about to answer the question before she showed up. "All right since the both of you are curious to see how my weekend turn out. Well it was a wonderful weekend and I could have been happier on the way it turned out. If you were wondering, yes I did tell Yuki how I felt about her right after leaving her birthday party." Tetsuya responded with a big smile on his face. It was then that both Fujibayashi sisters realized that Tetsuya confessed his feelings and love for Yuki. "We are very happy for you, Tetsuya. Have you guys figured out what you are going to do on the first date?" Ryou asked out of curiosity. Then Tetsuya immediately responded by saying, "Not quite but I have some ideas written down in a paper here in my pocket. Well I am planning on discussing with that to Yuki during lunch period. Sorry if I have to bail out on you guys for lunch period again." Kyou then responded back before leaving the classroom saying, "It's okay, Tetsuya. I understand with what you must do. No matter what happens we will still be friends. Well I better get going before my sensei starts wondering where I have been."

Then Ryou said the same thing once Kyou had left the classroom with a smile on her face. "Thank you for understanding and being my friend when no one else could once I started school here. I realize how important this is for me since it is a new steeping stone in my days here on the afterlife. Like what you and Kyou said, no matter what happens we will always still be friends. Tell Kyou that the same thing I just told you applies to her as well." Tetsuya addressed his thanks to Ryou right before the bell rang. Once the lunch period came Ryou had went up to Tetsuya and responded to what Tetsuya said earlier that day by saying, "Do not worry I will tell Kyou what you told me. We will be supporting you all the way, Tetsuya." After that statement is when Tetsuya went to find Yuki sitting at the usual bench spot eating her lunch.

Once Tetsuya sat down at the bench is when he seen Yuki coming toward his way carrying two pieces of sweet bread. "Hello, Yuki. How are you doing today?" Tetsuya greeted Yuki once she sat down on the bench. Then Yuki took out one piece of sweet bread and offered it to Tetsuya. "Oh wow thank you, Yuki. It was very sweet of you to hand me this piece of bread." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face as he started to take a bite of the bread. "Your welcome, Tetsuya. I thought it would be nice of me to give you a piece of sweet bread since you might have come out here without going to the cafeteria. Also, I am doing great today to answer your question." Yuki said with a gleeful look on her face. It was then that both Tetsuya and Yuki ate their lunches before they got up to leave for their perspective classrooms.

Not even taking a few steps away from the bench is when Tetsuya suddenly remembered about the ideas for the first date. "Can you wait just for a minute, Yuki. I had almost forgot to ask you about planning our first date." Tetsuya said in a hesitant voice as he pulled out the piece of paper listing ideas on the first date. Immediately, Yuki turned around and looked at the paper which did not take long for her decision. "I pick the second idea you wrote, Tetsuya. It is not a bad idea for a nice stroll around town with a nice dinner. Would tomorrow night work for you?" Yuki asked with a smile on her face. Then Tetsuya responded with a confident look on his face saying, "Tomorrow night sounds perfect for me. Ok I will see you then, Yuki." Yuki waved at Tetsuya once they got back inside the school.

The following day after school is when Tetsuya was stuck on finding the right outfit to wear for the date. Not even a few seconds passed by before Tetsuya had picked the perfect outfit which consisted of a green short sleeved shirt and blue jeans. " _I am looking sharp and ready to go on a date with Yuki. Well I better head over there in case if she is waiting for me._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he got ready to leave his apartment.

Meanwhile at the Sakagami Bakery, Yuki is starting to panic on which outfit she should wear. "Yuki, what is the matter?" Shiznae asked once she passed by Yuki who had two different outfits on her bed. Yuki then responded by asking, "Mom, can you help me out here? Because Tetsuya might show up at any minute now and I do not know which outfit I should wear." Shiznae then said with a smile on her face, "I will be gladly to help you out, Yuki. Well if you want to look good for Tetsuya, then I would pick the outfit on the right." The outfit that Shiznae was referring to consisted of a pink colored short sleeve shirt and blue jeans. Then Yuki tried on the outfit and was very fascinated by her appearance in the outfit. "Wow this is a great outfit. Thanks, Mom." Yuki said with a confident tone in her voice. Shiznae then responded by saying, "Your welcome, Yuki. I will check to see if Tetsuya is here yet. Finish getting ready ok."

Once Tetsuya had reached near the playground area across the street from the bakery is when he had seen Shia sweeping out in the front of the store. "Oh hello Tetsuya. I hear that you and Yuki are going on a date tonight." Shia greeted Tetsuya. "That is right, Shia." Tetsuya greeted back with a nervous look on his face. Then Shiznae had stepped out of the bakery to see that Tetsuya was there and went back inside to say, "Yuki, he's here." It was in that moment when Yuki stepped outside to see Tetsuya who was standing in the doorway. "Hello, Yuki. Are you ready to go?" Tetsuya greeted Yuki. Then Yuki responded by saying, "Yes I am ready to go, Tetsuya.". Not even taking two steps past the bakery is when they heard Yosaki's voice saying, "Be careful you two and have a good time. Don't be back too late." Then both Tetsuya and Yuki said in unison, "Don't worry we will have a good time. See you later." That is when both Tetsuya and Yuki went on their way to look around the town.

"That is a beautiful outfit you are wearing, Yuki. It looks very lovely on you." Tetsuya complimented Yuki's outfit while halfway through seeing the town. Yuki then turned towards Tetsuya with a bashful look and said, "Why thank you, Tetsuya. I was worried that you would not like the outfit. It makes me very happy that you liked my outfit." Then Tetsuya responded back with a smile in his face, "Yuki, I am very glad to hear that. Well after strolling around the town for a while is starting to make me hungry. Where do you want to go to eat?".

Then Yuki responded by saying, "Hmm…what about that barbecue place we passed by earlier?". "Ok that sounds good to me." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face. So, they went towards the barbecue place that was located right near the shopping district and saw that it was still open. Upon entering the barbecue place, there were two empty seats available which the waiter escorted Tetsuya and Yuki to. A few minutes passed by before the waiter came back to get ready to take their orders. "Well we would like to have the double barbecue beef special that is listed on this menu." Tetsuya addressed meal orders to the waiter. "Ok sir. One barbecue beef special coming right up." The waiter responded back.

Once the order had arrived is when Tetsuya noticed that the barbecue beef special was six pieces of beef just like the menu described it to be. Upon seeing the meal, Tetsuya started to laugh a little which had caught Yuki off guard. "What is it, Tetsuya?" Yuki asked out of concern. "Sorry about that Yuki, I remembered a time when one of my old friends, Choza had challenged me to an eating contest with this same type of food. Do you want to hear the funny part of this story?" Tetsuya responded boldly. Yuki shook her head yes and Tetsuya proceeded to tell the funny part of this memory which the challenge had a prize to see who could pull of a prank on Shikaku. After hearing this story, Yuki started to chuckle a little and proceeded to say, "Having a eating contest over a prank is a little funny depending on what the prank is." Tetsuya started to smile because he got Yuki to laugh a little. After a while, was when both Tetsuya and Yuki decided to head back towards Yuki's house.

Upon reaching a block before the bakery is when Tetsuya had stopped for a moment and asked Yuki, "Did you have a great time tonight?". "I did have a great time with you tonight, Tetsuya. It was really fun to have a wonderful dinner with you." Yuki responded with a smile on her face. This put a great smile on Tetsuya's face and he realized on what he said on Yuki's birthday came true based on this unforgettable first date. Then Tetsuya proceeded to say without hesitation, "Yuki, do you mind if I give you a kiss?". Yuki immediately had a blush look on her face and nodded her head yes. So, both Tetsuya and Yuki shared a very passionate kiss which they smiled upon each other's faces afterwards. "Yuki?!" Tetsuya said in a nervous tone. "Tetsuya?!" Yuki responded back in a nervous tone. It was in that moment when they both said in unison to each other without hesitation, "I love you." Then after they professed their love for each other is when Tetsuya dropped off Yuki at her house and left for his apartment.

Once he reached to his apartment is when Tetsuya looked at the portrait of him and Minato. While looking at the portrait a tear of joy started to drip down Tetsuya's eye because he was happy about the date with Yuki and how it turned out. " _Minato, you would be very proud of me for what happened tonight. Hmm…. Kushina on the other hand would be happy for me but envious at the same time. I completely fell in love with the most beautiful woman I have ever met and professed it to her. That's right I truly am in love with Yuki Sakagami._ " Tetsuya thought to himself after he got into bed with a smile on his face.

Meanwhile at Yuki's house is when Yuki had noticed that the light to her living room was still on and she went to see who was in there. "Oh you're home, Yuki." Shiznae said once Yuki walked into the living room. "I am guessing both Dad and Shia went to bed already." Yuki stated once she sat down on the family's sofa. Shiznae shook her head yes and immediately seen the big smile that was on Yuki's face. "So how was the date?" Shiznae asked Yuki with a curious look on her face. Then Yuki responded back with a nervous tone in her voice by saying, "Well the date was wonderful. We went around the town to look at some amazing sights and Tetsuya treated me to a nice dinner at this barbecue restaurant. Then umm…." It was in that moment when Shiznae knew about the profession of Yuki's love for Tetsuya by looking at her face. "What's the matter Yuki?" Shiznae asked out of concern. Yuki then responded with a courageous look on her face by saying, "Mom, right before Tetsuya walked me back to the house is when we both professed our love for each other and he gave me a kiss before he went back to his apartment." Shiznae then hugged Yuki with a smile on her face and they went to bed after they left the living room.


	10. Graduation

10

Graduation

A couple of months passed by after the first date between Tetsuya and Yuki in which their relationship had grown in strength. However, their time at the academy was almost ending since the graduation ceremony was only four days away. "So what are you going to do after graduation, Tetsuya?" Yuki asked out of curiosity. Tetsuya then proceeded to tell Yuki in a calm tone by saying, "Well I am planning on staying in this area and help around in the bakery if your father is still looking for anyone to work. It's because I want to stay closer to you, Yuki and that is why I made this decision. But there is some very important business that I have to take care of once the graduation ceremony is over." It was then Yuki had a smile on her face to hear the response that Tetsuya gave to her while they were sitting on the bench outside of Sakagami bakery. "What is the very important business that you are talking about Tetsuya?" Yuki asked with a wondrous look on her face. With a sigh under his breath Tetsuya responded with a bold look on his face, "I have been thinking a lot in particular to that time when we discussed about bonds. Well, I think it is time that I reconcile with my sister and brother-in-law. So, I am going to be out of town for a few days after the graduation ceremony. However, I won't be leaving for the town where they are living at until the day after graduation. If your father needs my help for the bakery tell him I can start once I get back from my trip."

"Wow you are serious with this, Tetsuya. I am very proud of you for making that decision. Do not worry I will tell my dad that you will help with the bakery. He is going to be happy with this. Well, I better head on home before Shia starts to get suspicious of us being out here. See you later and I love you, Tetsuya." Yuki said before giving Tetsuya a goodbye kiss and headed back to the bakery. Then Tetsuya headed back to his apartment and looked for a duffle bag so he could start packing for the trip. After pulling the duffle bag out of his closet and placing it on the chair is when Tetsuya was feeling happy that Yuki supports his post-graduation plans. " _If I am planning on reconciling with Kushina and Minato. Then I better call Professor to notify him about me heading in their direction. Other than that, I am not holding back on this plan and gives me something to do to get my mind off graduation ceremony jitters._ " Tetsuya thought to himself before picking up his cell phone.

Then Tetsuya proceeded to dial the number of the Sarutobi residence and the phone call went through. "Oh hello, Tetsuya and it has been a while. How are you doing?" Hiruzen said on the phone. "I am doing really great. There is a reason why I wanted to call you other than catching up." Tetsuya responded back with clarity in his voice. Hiruzen then realized that this was not going to be an ordinary phone call. "So Tetsuya what is your real purpose in this phone call?" Hiruzen asked out of curiosity. Then Tetsuya responded to Hiruzen as briefly as he could by saying, "I was planning on stopping by the area and planning on spending a few days over there as well. You are probably wondering what my motive for visiting the area is well it's that I am going to reconcile with Kushina and Minato while I'm there. Do you and Lady Biwako have any room for me to stay in while I am in town?".

Hiruzen on his end of the phone call had a smile on his face and responded by saying, "I see and everyone here will be excited to see you, Tetsuya. When will you be heading this way so Biwako and I can make some space for your arrival?". "Five days from now is when I will be there. One of you guys has to meet me at the train station stop which I have my train ticket and the arrival time won't be until midday." Tetsuya answered briefly. "That sounds perfect with me. So, I will see you five days from now, Tetsuya." Hiruzen proceeded to tell Tetsuya before the phone call ended. After the phone call is when Tetsuya started to pack clothes he needed to last him a few days.

Once Tetsuya got done packing his clothes is when his mindset was back on preparing for the graduation ceremony. It started to dawn on Tetsuya that once graduation passes by that most of his classmates will go their separate ways. However, since Tetsuya chose to stay around the area nearby Yuki then this thought did not worry him significantly. After all, Tetsuya helped clean the gym area of the academy in time for graduation ceremony preparations. Then it came time for the day of the graduation ceremony and Tetsuya got dressed up for the ceremony before leaving his apartment.

Upon arriving at the entrance gate of the academy is when Tetsuya noticed Yuki, Yuki's family, Ryou, and Kyou all standing there waiting for him to show up. "Aren't we going to be late if you guys stood here to wait for me?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. "Not really, Tetsuya. We chose to wait on the person who in the last three years has impacted our lives with generosity, kindness, and more recently his love towards the people around him." Kyou stated with a stern look on her face. Tetsuya started to smile with a tear in his eye proceeded to thank Kyou for making that statement. It was in that moment when they decided to head up towards the gym area where the ceremony was to take place.

After hearing the commencement speech given by the academy's headmaster is when the graduation ceremony began. Then Tetsuya and his classmates started to proceed in a single file line getting ready to get their certificates handed to them by the headmaster. Once Tetsuya had gotten his certificate is when he shook the headmaster and thanked him for everything that happened at his time within the academy. Within that moment a chapter within Tetsuya's days as an academy student had officially ended. "Congratulations, Tetsuya." Yuki greeted Tetsuya once he made it outside of the gym. "Thank you, Yuki. Same goes to you." Tetsuya greeted Yuki back with a smile on his face.

Upon joining up with everyone else after the ceremony was over is when Tetsuya started to ask with his phone out in hand, "Ok who wants to take some pictures with me?". "We certainly will Tetsuya." Yuki, Yuki's family, and the Fujibayashi sisters said in unison. So, they took around 30 pictures on Tetsuya's phone. "So what are you going to do now, Tetsuya?" Kyou had asked out of curiosity. Then Tetsuya proceeded to tell both Fujibayashi sisters his plans and they wished him the best of luck on everything.

"Mom, Dad is it alright if I spend a little more time with Tetsuya?" Yuki asked both Yosaki and Shiznae once they stepped off the academy grounds. Tetsuya intervened before Yosaki could answer by saying, "Yuki, do you mind if we have a little talk right now? Sorry to be rude Yosaki". Yosaki responded back by saying, "It's alright Tetsuya." Then Tetsuya took Yuki a few feet away from where Shia and Yuki's parents were standing. "I know you want to spend some time with me, Yuki. It would be best if you spend the rest of this day with your family. Sorry if I hurt your feelings by saying this. Since I am heading out for my trip in the morning and it is a long walk from my apartment to the train station. Would it make you feel better if you accompany me to the train station to send me off first thing in the morning?" Tetsuya told Yuki who started to get a little sad halfway through his statement. Yuki then responded back with a smile coming back into her face by saying, "It's ok, Tetsuya. I will accompany you in the morning and accept your apology. Well I better let you get back to your apartment so you can finish your packing." It was in that moment when Tetsuya waved goodbye to Yuki and her family after he walked in the direction towards his apartment complex.


	11. Reunion with Old Friends

11

An Unforgettable Reunion with Old Friends

Once Tetsuya got up bright and early was when he grabbed his duffle bag out of his bedroom to proceed out of his apartment before locking it up. So, Tetsuya went to the Sakagami Bakery to see if Yuki was up and ready to head out with him. About a few seconds later, Tetsuya notices that Yuki was standing in the playground waiting for his arrival. "Good morning, Yuki. Are you ready to leave for the train station?" Tetsuya greeted Yuki. Then Yuki said back to Tetsuya, "Good morning to you as well. Yes, I am ready to leave for the train station to send you off. Tetsuya, I was wondering if we can hold hands on the way up there." Tetsuya shook his head yes with a smile on his face. It was in that moment when Tetsuya and Yuki headed to the train station walking side-by-side with each other holding hands.

Tetsuya and Yuki had arrived at the train station about a half hour before the scheduled departure time. Then Tetsuya with a smile on his face proceeded to say, "Well I better get on the train to get a good seat. I will contact you once I arrive at my destination since phone service over there is good. After that, I might call you every day or whenever I get the chance to while on this trip." Yuki proceeded to say while hugging Tetsuya before he got on the train, "Ok have a good time on your trip. I'll see you when you get back. Contact me for sure once you get there. I love you, Tetsuya." After they hugged is when Tetsuya gave Yuki a kiss before he stepped on the train.

Upon finding a seat on the train is when Tetsuya waved out the window to Yuki after the conductor signaled for the train to start moving. " _Well since it is going to be a three-hour train ride from here to the Pure Land version of the Leaf Village. I better take a quick nap now so I do not feel tired upon arrival. I hope this trip will turn out for the greater good._ " Tetsuya thought to himself before shutting his eyes for a quick nap while the train was moving along right on schedule. About two and a half hours later is when Tetsuya had woken up from his nap to notice that the signs for his destination started to appear. Then the conductor announced that the train will be arriving at the destination five minutes earlier than scheduled. This surprised Tetsuya to the very slightest.

The train a few minutes later had arrived at the Pure Land Leaf Village train station stop and Tetsuya started to get his duffle bag out from underneath the seat. Once he got up from his seat with the duffle bag in his hand is when Tetsuya pulled out his phone to notify Yuki that he made it to the destination safely. Then stepping foot off the train was when Tetsuya noticed an elderly couple holding up a sign with his name on it a few feet from the train. " _Ah I see that both Professor and Lady Biwako had shown up right on time. Well I better head over there and greet them._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he got closer to where Hiruzen and Biwako were standing. "It sure has been a long time, Tetsuya." Biwako greeted Tetsuya once he reached their location. Then Hiruzen proceeded to say, "It is nice to see you again, Tetsuya. Well we better head to the house before it gets late."

Tetsuya along with Biwako and Hiruzen left the train station to head back towards the Sarutobi residence. It was a few blocks from the train station to the Sarutobi residence and Tetsuya was amazed once he entered inside the residence. "The room we set up for you is on the second door to the right. Get yourself situated in the room, Tetsuya." Biwako told Tetsuya after he took his shoes off. Then Tetsuya proceeded to say, "Ok I will head over there right away.". After Tetsuya placed and unpacked his items in the room is when a knock was heard on the front door. "I'll get it." Hiruzen said once he reached to the front door.

Upon answering the door is when a male who had black hair with scars on his face and another male with blond hair appeared into the Sarutobi residence. "Oh Shikaku and Inoichi. I did not expect you two to be here. What do you guys want?" Hiruzen said with a stern look on his face. Inoichi then responded by saying, "Lord Third, we were wondering if you wanted to have dinner with us tonight at the barbecue restaurant." "Alright but there will be a total of four of us going including you guys." Hiruzen responded back. Upon hearing that is when Shikaku and Inoichi started to wonder who the fourth person Hiruzen was referring to. In that moment Tetsuya appeared to the front living room of the Sarutobi residence. "Hello, Shikaku and Inoichi. It sure has been a long time since I last saw you guys." Tetsuya greeted with a smile on his face. Immediately, both Shikaku and Inoichi were in a state of shock to see Tetsuya standing there which they proceeded to hug him. "So I am guessing you are the fourth person that will be joining us tonight, Tetsuya?" Shikaku asked Tetsuya. Then Tetsuya responded by saying, "I suppose so, Shikaku."

Tetsuya then realized that this dinner plan was the perfect opportunity to catch up with some of his old friends. "We will back after a short while, Biwako. So, do not worry about making any dinner for me and Tetsuya." Hiruzen said to Biwako before him and Tetsuya headed to the barbecue restaurant. Then upon arriving at the restaurant is when both Hiruzen and Tetsuya noticed that Shikaku and Inoichi were already seated waiting on them. "So, Tetsuya what have you been up to these days?" Inoichi asked Tetsuya after placing their order. Then Tetsuya responded by saying, "Well I went to this academy for the past three years and just yesterday I graduated from there. So, I have been in the area for only a couple of hours because I left by train early this morning to get here. Also, I am the happiest that I have ever been.". This caused Inoichi, Shikaku, and Hiruzen to wonder what Tetsuya meant by being the happiest he has ever been.

"That is nice to hear the good news, Tetsuya. However, what do you mean by being the happiest that you have ever been?" Shikaku asked out of curiosity. It was in that moment when Tetsuya pulled out his phone and searched for the picture with only Yuki in the photo. "This is what I meant by the happiest I have ever been. You see that is a picture of the most beautiful woman that I am proud to call my girlfriend. Her name is Yuki in case if you were wondering. She makes me feel very happy every time I am around her. I know this is a sudden surprise to you all but it is very true indeed." Tetsuya responded to Shikaku's question with a smile on his face. Then Inoichi proceeded to say with a calm tone in his voice, "Wow that is very surprising for all of us. I had never thought the day would come when you found someone that loves you, Tetsuya. Other than that, we are very happy for you. This has me wanting to ask you this question. How long have you and this Yuki person been going out for?". "Well Inoichi, me and Yuki have been going out for a little over three months now." Tetsuya responded after he put his phone back in his pocket. Then Tetsuya told Shikaku, Inoichi, and Hiruzen about how he met Yuki and fell in love with her.

Sometime later after they had done eating their dinner is when Tetsuya told Shikaku and Inoichi the reason why he came down into the area to visit. "So, Tetsuya have you got a plan on how you are going to reconcile with Minato and Kushina?" Shikaku asked out of curiosity. "Well I am planning on surprising them by showing up unannounced at the tea place that we just passed by. However, this is the part where you guys come in. Shikaku and Inoichi, you guys need to contact Minato after we leave here will you tell him that a visitor wants to meet both him and Kushina at the tea place tomorrow around midday. Call me either on my cell phone or Lord Third's residence once you get confirmation." Tetsuya responded with explaining the roles that Shikaku and Inoichi before handing them a piece of paper having Tetsuya's cell phone number. Then Inoichi proceeded to say, "Understood Tetsuya. We will notify you first thing once they agree to what you told us. I am guessing you will tell Lord Third his part within this plan when you guys get back to his house." Tetsuya then shook his head in a yes fashion and they left the restaurant afterwards.

After arriving back at the Sarutobi residence is when Hiruzen and Tetsuya had a cup of tea in the dining room. "Professor, the role you have in this plan is that we leave for the tea place about an hour early before Minato and Kushina's arrival. I want you to be there but at a separate table in case if something goes awry with my role of the plan. The part of this plan which involves me in for the reason why I need to be at the tea early is rather a simple reason. You see I brought this outfit with me which takes me a while to get a disguise ready. A little while after they get situated is where I talk to them in disguise before I reveal myself and then tell them that I want to reconcile with them." Tetsuya stated his and Hiruzen's part of the plan. "It sounds very risky to pull off. But I am on board with it, Tetsuya." Hiruzen said upon agreeing with the terms of this elaborate plan. Then Tetsuya got a notification on his phone from Inoichi that Minato and Kushina are going to show up at the tea place as planned. " _That is perfect. Now with the plan in place I am starting to feel comfortable about going through with this reconciliation. Even though I took way too long on seeing this through. I hope that everything works out for the best. It is time to rebuild the relationship that had been strained for three years._ " Tetsuya thought to himself before finishing his tea and went to bed.


	12. The Reconciliation of Two Siblings

12

Reconciliation of the Uzumaki Siblings

The following day came when Tetsuya had pulled out the accessories that he needed for the disguise. These accessories included a waiter's outfit, contact lenses colored black, hair gel, and makeup to hide major facial features. Tetsuya proceeded to put them in the backpack that he had packed within the duffle bag because he was going to put the disguise on at a restroom within the tea place. "What is in the backpack, Tetsuya?" Hiruzen asked Tetsuya before they headed out to the tea place as planned. Then Tetsuya responded by saying, "It has the materials needed for my disguise. This is not the first time I used the things inside this backpack. You see I had used it as a costume for a festival that I was a part of back in my days at the academy." With that in mind is when both Hiruzen and Tetsuya left the Sarutobi house for the tea place right across from the barbecue restaurant.

Upon arriving at the tea place is when Tetsuya had told the person working at the counter that three people with a reservation under the name Uzumaki were going to show up in about an hour and he proceeded to the restroom to get into his disguise. " _Wow this disguise looks a lot better on me this time unlike the previous time I used this outfit. It is getting closer to time for Minato and Kushina's arrival. But I know just the trick to give them clues in figuring out it's me in this disguise. Since I mostly know everything about them and the many memories I had with them so I am using that to my advantage._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he looked in the mirror with the disguise on. Then Tetsuya proceeded to show Hiruzen his disguise and asked him, "Well what do you think?". "It's a very good disguise, Tetsuya. They are not going to recognize you with that outfit. Anyways, I better take a seat right near your reserved spot." Hiruzen responded to Tetsuya's question.

Then a few minutes had passed when Tetsuya noticed a male with spiked blond hair alongside a female with long red hair coming towards the entrance of the tea place. " _Oh man they are here already. Well I better get to my post a few feet away from the reserved table. Anyways it's show time_." Tetsuya thought to himself once he reached his spot in the tea place. The person at the counter then proceeded to ask the two people who entered the tea place, "I see that you have a reservation here under the name Uzumaki for three people, is this correct?". Then the female responded, "Yes that sounds about right. You know." After confirming the reservation is when the person working the counter escorted both people to the reserved table and notified them that a waiter will be on their way to serve them. It was in that moment when Tetsuya who was in disguise went to the reserved table.

"Oh hello there. May I take your order?" Tetsuya asked with a girl accent in his voice. Then the male responded by saying, "Well I want a regular cup of tea. Do you have an idea of what you want, Kushina?". It took a few seconds for Kushina to say she wanted the same thing as her husband. With the order in place Tetsuya went to the back and gave it to another waiter instead. While that was going on Kushina proceeded to say, "Minato, I think that waiter who took our order looks very familiar but don't remember where I have seen him though. But where is the third person that was supposed to meet us here?". Then Minato said in response, "I honestly do not know where the third person is. But I think you are right on the appearance on the waiter though." Tetsuya realized he did not have much time left since Minato and Kushina were starting to get concerned about the third person. " _I have to act now before it's too late_." Tetsuya had thought to himself.

It was then that Tetsuya approached back to Minato and Kushina's table with an unforgettable idea. "I forgot to tell you that the tea we serve comes out in a flash and it tastes as hot as a habanero pepper. Also, it is our secret about this tea that only I have known ever since I was a young child." Tetsuya proceeded to say towards both Minato and Kushina in his girlish accent taking a few steps back to his designated spot. " _I hope that worked since it was the main secret that I have ever known the length since Minato and Kushina received those nicknames._ " Tetsuya thought to himself before he started to take off the contact lens. Kushina then proceeded to say, "Wait a minute, Minato. The waiter had said something about tea service being out here in a flash and hot as a habanero also knowing it as a secret since he was young. It almost sounds like the nicknames that we had when we were alive you know. There was only one person who knew about this secret for that long. It cannot be possible that the waiter is my little brother, Tetsuya.". "Kushina, let me take a closer look of the waiter when he comes back or better yet. Waiter can you come over here for a second." Minato responded back and signaling for Tetsuya with part of his waiter disguise off to come back.

Once Tetsuya came back to the table is when Minato proceeded to say, "Sir, do you know of anyone with the name, Tetsuya Uzumaki by any chance? Because you almost do look like him in a way." This is when Tetsuya realized that he needed to reveal his identity to Minato and Kushina. With a sigh under his breath and normal tone in his voice is when Tetsuya said, "Yes I do know him. It's because I am Tetsuya Uzumaki, your brother-in-law and best friend. Also, Kushina that's right it is me your younger brother.". It was in this moment that both Minato and Kushina had very shocked looks on their faces. Tetsuya then continued to say right as he took the empty across from them, "I know this was a surprise to see me come back in the area after being away for three years. However, there is a reason why I decided to come here other than being the third person you were waiting on. It is a reason which I needed to address towards you guys before I take off this outfit which is starting to bother me."

Kushina with a shocked look still on her face said, "What is the reason why you wanted to come here, little brother?". Before Tetsuya could answer Kushina's question he signaled for Hiruzen to step outside of the tea place. Then with a tear starting to drip in his eye Tetsuya responded to Kushina's by saying, "The reason why I came here is to apologize and asking for your forgiveness. *sniffles* I am sorry for hurting your guys' feelings and causing the argument back on that day. You see almost every single day for the past couple of years I started to hurt deep down on the inside because of that argument. I know I cannot make up for the lost time that we had no contact with each other. Kushina and Minato, all I want is to repair the bond that we had long ago. I have changed a lot just very recently and that is why I wanted to do this. Will you guys forgive me for any of the wrong doings I have ever done to the both of you guys?".

Then both Tetsuya and Kushina got up from their seats approaching to each other. Kushina proceeded to hug Tetsuya with a tear in her eye said, "I am very sorry for the pain I have ever caused you within the last three years, Tetsuya. I accept your forgiveness as well you know." Minato who was still seated proceeded to give Tetsuya a fist bump as his sign for accepting forgiveness and said, "The same goes for me, Tetsuya. I am very happy to have my best friend back. Also, I am glad that Kushina has you back into her life as well." It was in that moment when Tetsuya with a big smile on his face had been welcome back into Minato and Kushina's lives in open arms.


	13. Splendid Times with Kushina and Minato

13

Splendid Times with Kushina and Minato

After reconciling with Kushina and Minato is when Tetsuya proceeded back to the restroom to take off his disguise outfit. Along the way Tetsuya apologized to the people working at the tea place about being disguised as one of their workers. Once he got back into his regular outfit Tetsuya went back to the table where Minato and Kushina were sitting. Suddenly, a waiter showed up and asked Tetsuya what he wanted to order. "Oh I will have a cup of tea." Tetsuya responded to the waiter's question. Then Tetsuya went ahead to apologize to Minato and Kushina on lying about the service and tastiness of the tea. "It's ok Tetsuya. We understand why you had to do that." Minato responded back with a smile on his face.

Upon receiving the cup of tea is when Tetsuya proceeded to say, "So what have you guys been up to?". Tetsuya took a sip of his tea while Kushina responded to his question by saying, "Minato and I have been busy helping out people here in the village, you know. Also, we just got done remodeling our house. Oh by the way our house is just a few doors down from Lord Third's house in case you ever want to stay with us or to check it out. How long are you going to be around here for?" Immediately Tetsuya was surprised that Kushina offered him to stay at her and Minato's house. However, this is something that did not take Tetsuya long to give an answer about. "For about four more days, Kushina. I don't mind staying with you and Minato during the rest of my visit. Just that my things are at Lord Third's and I should head over there to grab them. If that is ok with you guys?" Tetsuya stated with an honest look in his face. Minato then replied by saying, "It is completely fine with you staying by us, Tetsuya. Our house is completely clean since the remodeling that Kushina mentioned happened about a week ago."

Once Tetsuya stepped out of the tea place, he had noticed that Hiruzen was standing there the entire time. "So, you must have heard everything I said just now?" Tetsuya asked Hiruzen out of curiosity. "Yes I have Tetsuya. You do not have to apologize to me for about switching staying arrangements. I am relieved that you got to reconcile with Minato and Kushina. Go ahead to get your things." Hiruzen responded to Tetsuya's question. Then Tetsuya proceeded to thank Hiruzen for understanding and went on his way to get his things from the Sarutobi residence. Upon repacking his things to head towards Minato and Kushina's house is when Tetsuya thanked Biwako for letting him stay the night at their house. Tetsuya promised before leaving the Sarutobi residence that he will see Biwako and Hiruzen one more time during his trip.

"That is a nice duffle bag you have there, Tetsuya. Here let me show you around the house and the room that you are going to be staying at." Minato greeted Tetsuya once he got to Minato and Kushina's house. Halfway through the tour of the house is when Tetsuya said, "I like your house a lot, Kushina and Minato. It looks twice as better than the apartment complex that I reside in now." "Why thank you, Tetsuya. In case if Minato forgot to tell you that your room is going to be on the second door to the left of this hallway. Anyways, I better go into the kitchen and start making dinner. It's going to be my famous special dish, you know." Kushina said with her head peeking out of the hallway. Tetsuya had a smile on his face after getting through the tour and unpacked his things in the room where he was staying at. " _Wow it has been a very long time since I last had the Kushina Special. This is a very spacious room for me to put my things onto the side. Oh, crud I got to remember sometime later tonight to contact Yuki or else she might get concerned in why I have not done so. That reminds me I should tell both Kushina and Minato about Yuki sometime before I head back home. Knowing my luck, it could happen tonight but you never know._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he got settled into the room.

Then after settling his things into the room where he was staying Tetsuya walked towards the living room and sat on the sofa nearby the hallway. Minato who was sitting in a dining room chair reading a paper said, "Tetsuya, have you heard of the term cell phone before? The reason I am asking is that the village here just recently added telephone towers that include this new device. It's in an article of this paper that I am reading right now." Immediately Tetsuya remembered that he placed his cell phone in his room. "Of course I know what a cell phone is, Minato. You see I own a cell phone myself and it is laying in the bedroom at the very moment. It's very surprising to me that the village just decided to upgrade its telephone service to include cell phones. In the place where I reside at now they have had that kind of phone service for almost two years now. I will show you and Kushina what my cell phone looks like after dinner." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face. Kushina who was just put the finishing touches on the special dinner said, "Dinner's just about done. So, the both of you need to wash up. You know."

It was in that moment when Tetsuya took his spot in the dinner table and had a bite of the Kushina's Special. "Hmm…this is very good, Kushina." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face. Kushina had a smile on her face upon hearing Tetsuya's response to the taste of her famous dish. After eating dinner is when Tetsuya went back to his room to grab his cell phone and put it in his pocket to proceed back into the living room. Once Tetsuya arrived in the living room is when Kushina and Minato took a seat on the sofa opposite to where he was sitting at earlier. "Thank you for the wonderful dinner, Kushina." Tetsuya said his thanks regarding dinner. "Your welcome, Tetsuya. My famous special was not that bad considering it was the first time in a long while since you had some of my cooking. You know." Kushina responded back.

Kushina then proceeded to ask with a curious tone in her voice, "Tetsuya, since you asked me and Minato earlier today on how we were doing. I am going to ask the same thing to you now. How have you been doing, little brother?". Immediately Tetsuya started to get a nervous look on his face before giving a thought on answering Kushina's question. "What's wrong, Tetsuya? You seem to look nervous." Minato asked out of concern. Tetsuya then responded to Minato's question by saying, "Nothing is wrong with me, Minato. Just that I am getting nervous on how to answer Kushina's question.". Then after taking a few deep breaths is when Tetsuya had thought of a decent and honest answer to Kushina's question.

"I have been doing good lately. You see I went to this academy for three years and graduated from there a couple of days ago. I made a few friends along the way that trust me very well. Other than that, the afterlife for me has been happy for me. The phone I was telling Minato about has pictures from my graduation on there if you guys want to take look at them now." Tetsuya responded to Kushina's question before pulling out his phone and placing it on the table. Minato was amazed to see Tetsuya's cell phone since he was interested about it earlier with reading the paper. Then Tetsuya pulled up the graduation photos from his phone and handed it to Kushina.

After through looking the photos is when Kushina and Minato had started to wonder who was the girl that was in most of the pictures even in the ones with Tetsuya in them. "It was very nice of you to let us see these photos, Tetsuya. However, I am wondering who is the girl that was in most of these photos?" Minato asked out of curiosity. Tetsuya started to blush a little and got nervous upon hearing the question. "Minato, I don't know if that was a good idea to ask Tetsuya that question. Because you got him all nervous now. You know." Kushina said out of concern. It was in that moment when Tetsuya got all calm again and took in a deep breath. "It's ok, Kushina. Minato has every right to ask me that question. I will be completely honest with the answer which I am about to tell you guys. The girl's name is Yuki Sakagami and more importantly she is my girlfriend. I love her very much and have been going out with her for three months now." Tetsuya responded back without any hesitation in his voice.

Kushina and Minato were shocked at first to hear about the news but had smiles on their faces a few seconds later. Then Kushina started to ask a few questions towards Tetsuya about Yuki. Tetsuya responded all of Kushina's many questions and ended it by saying, "You don't have to worry about it too much, Kushina. I know you are my older sister and had been looking out for me. Yuki is overall a very nice person based on what I told you just now.". "Tetsuya, how did you meet Yuki and fall in love with her?" Minato asked out of curiosity. Tetsuya had a smile on his face since he figured out the right way to answer Minato's question. "It is a long story to explain everything. I hope you guys don't mind the long explanation." Tetsuya addressed to Minato and Kushina before answering Minato's question.

Then Tetsuya proceeded to tell the story about his encounter with Yuki and how he fell in love with her to Kushina and Minato. "Wow that is a very interesting story, Tetsuya. It is amazing to even hear a tale of my little brother finding true love. You know." Kushina said in response to Tetsuya's story. "It was a very good story that you told us there, Tetsuya. Now it has got me thinking of how proud I am that my best friend has found someone who loves him." Minato said in response on Tetsuya's story. Upon hearing the responses is when a tear started to drip down Tetsuya's eye while proceeding to say, "Thank you both. That makes me very happy to hear those words." Immediately Kushina responded by saying, "Tetsuya, I want to know if Yuki sounds like the kind of person you described to me and Minato. You know."

It was then that Tetsuya suddenly remembered to contact Yuki and proceeded to say, "Well you are in luck, Kushina. I had almost forgot to call Yuki until you said that. If you and Minato are curious to what Yuki sounds like. Then I am going to put her on speaker phone." Kushina then said with a little chuckle in her voice, "That is perfect for us, you know. I hope Minato does not panic by anything you might say." Then Tetsuya picked up his phone from the table and getting ready to dial Yuki's number. "Kushina, I'll promise not to panic on anything Tetsuya says. We are just observing that is all." Minato said with a smile on his face.

Once Tetsuya dialed Yuki's number and put his phone settings on speaker is when he placed it back on the middle of the table. Then Yuki's voice came out from the phone saying, "Hello Tetsuya. I was just about to call you. How has your trip been so far?". "It is going very great. I got to reconcile with my sister and brother-in-law today. I am that their house right now if you were wondering where I am at." Tetsuya responded back. "Well I am very happy for you. Even though it's been a couple days but I am missing you already, Tetsuya." Yuki said with a calm tone in her voice. Then Tetsuya started to realize how much he misses Yuki. "I miss you too, Yuki. So how is everyone doing?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. "They are all doing good over here. Mom and Dad have been getting steady business here at the bakery. As for Shia, well she has been hanging around with me and keeping me company while you are away. So, have you told your sister and brother-in-law about us yet, Tetsuya?" Yuki responded with clarity in her voice.

Kushina and Minato noticed the smile Tetsuya had on his face before he answered the question. "Yes I have told them about us, Yuki. They were happy with it after I told them everything. Oh by the way, you are on speaker. Heh-heh." Tetsuya responded with a chuckle at the end. Yuki then proceeded to get nervous with a sigh proceeded to say, "Tetsuya, you know how nervous I got when you said that. A lot nervous. Are they saying weird things about me?". "*sighs* I promise you they are not saying weird things about you, Yuki. Listen to me, did your sister ever say anything weird to me the first time I met your family?" Tetsuya said in a reassuring voice. "Shia did not say weird things about you, Tetsuya. I am sorry for the assumption. I did not mean to hurt their feelings and if that did happen then I am sorry for that as well." Yuki said in a sentimental tone. "It's alright, Yuki. I know that you did not mean to do that. Besides my sister and brother-in-law are smiling about the whole thing." Tetsuya said with in an assuring voice.

A few seconds later is when Tetsuya knew that it was getting close to time for Yuki to get off the phone. "I know it's getting late and better let you go then. Tell everyone over there I said hello. I will call you before I get on the train in four days from now." Tetsuya said in a calm voice. "I will tell everyone that you said hello. Ok I am looking forward to the next call from you. Have a good time with your sister and brother-in-law? Don't do anything reckless alright. I love you, Tetsuya." Yuki responded back. "Don't worry I will not do reckless things for you. I will have a good time with my sister and brother-in-law. I love you too, Yuki." Tetsuya said with confidence in his voice. Then after Tetsuya and Yuki said goodbye is when he ended the call.

"Good Yuki does sound like a really nice person and she does care about you, Tetsuya. It was very nice of you to reassure her that we never assume weird things about people unless they tick me off especially. You know." Kushina said under observation of the phone call. Then Minato stated his observation of the phone conversation by saying, "All I got to say is that Yuki sounds just like Kushina said a nice person that highly cares about you and loves you a lot, Tetsuya." Immediately Tetsuya had a smile on his face and felt completely happy on the observations. "*yawns* Well I am planning on heading to bed now. I hope the next couple of days with you guys will be fun." Tetsuya said before heading to the bedroom he was staying. Then Minato and Kushina said, "Good night, Tetsuya. See you in the morning."

Then the next four days were filled with fun times as Tetsuya got to help with Kushina and Minato doing volunteer duty in the village. Before midday on the fourth day is when Tetsuya packed his things in the duffle bag and started to walk towards the train station. However, Kushina and Minato went with Tetsuya to send him off on the train not before the Sarutobis tagged along. Upon reaching the platform where the train heading for home is when Tetsuya proceeded to hug everyone that followed him. Then Tetsuya proceeded to say, "Thank you for making this visit great for me. I got to do the many things I promised that I would. If you guys ever want to come and visit me. I do not mind it at all since I have space in my apartment for a couple of extra guests. Well I better get on the train before it starts departing." Not even taking a step onto the train is when Kushina stopped Tetsuya to hug him and said, "Is there any I can contact you? Minato and I had a great time with you here, you know. We would want to visit you again very soon and maybe meet Yuki. I love you, little brother. Contact me as soon as you get home, ok.". "Here is a piece of paper that has my apartment phone number and cell phone number. You can always contact me at any time and same thing applies to Minato as well, ok. I will call you when I make it to my destination. I love you, Kushina." Tetsuya said to Kushina giving her his contact information. With that Tetsuya stepped on the train to head back home and a big smile on his face. Tetsuya then messaged Yuki to tell her he was leaving the train station and to meet him at the final train stop.


	14. The Emotional Return Trip Home

14

The Emotional Return Trip Home

The train then departed from the Pure Land Leaf Village train station on route to the final stop on the train line. Tetsuya had read a book that Kushina gave him so that time can pass by while on the train. "All passengers we are nearing our final stop in five minutes. So, make sure all of your belongings are put away and placed under your seats." The conductor announced through the train's intercom. It was then that Tetsuya closed the book and placed it in his lap until the train made a complete stop. Once the train made it to the destination is when Tetsuya picked up his duffle bag that was above him and placed the book inside it. " _Ah I made it back safe and sound. Well let's see if Yuki is here at the train station waiting for me. Oh, I got to remind myself to call Kushina and Minato once I get back to the apartment or at least sometime today._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he stepped off the train.

Not far from where Tetsuya was standing two familiar faces with a sign having his name were waving for him to come where they are. "Welcome back, Tetsuya." Shiznae said once Tetsuya arrived at the location. "Oh hello Yosaki and Shiznae. I guess Yuki brought you guys to greet me in her stead." Tetsuya responded back with a greeting of his own to Yosaki and Shiznae. "Not really, Tetsuya. Yuki's here but she went to get something to drink at the juice bar here in the train station and she will be back. How was your trip?" Yosaki stated back out of curiosity. Then Tetsuya right before he was about to respond saw Shia coming in their direction. "Tetsuya, you're back. *sighs* Dad must have told you where Yuki went. That is where I was but by the time I left Yuki was standing in a long line so it will be a while before she gets here." Shia said upon arriving at her parents and Tetsuya's location. Tetsuya now responded to Yosaki's question by saying, "The trip was pretty good I got to do some volunteer work partway through. Also, I got to reconcile with my sister and brother-in-law. They were nice enough to let me stay at their house during most of the trip. Then I told them at any time that they want to visit me here. But I am planning on waiting a while before making arrangements." Upon hearing those words is when Shia said, "Wow that is really nice that you had a good time on your trip. Besides I know what happened with the phone call that you had Yuki on speaker and she got nervous. At least you made peace with your sister and brother-in-law, Tetsuya." Yosaki and Shiznae nodded with smiles on their faces.

Tetsuya then noticed the line of the juice bar had gotten smaller and seen Yuki picking up an order of juice making her way to their location. Yuki started to have a tear in her eye once she seen Tetsuya while holding the cup of juice in her hand. "Yuki…..." Tetsuya started to get nervous once Yuki got closer to him. "Te. Tet…Tetsuya. *sobs* You're back." Yuki started to cry while embracing herself in Tetsuya's arms. Tetsuya started to wipe the tears from Yuki's face and managed to not to spill the cup of juice in her hand. "I am glad to be back and most importantly to see your pretty face again, Yuki." Tetsuya said to Yuki with a smile on his face. Yuki then proceeded to say, "That is nice of you to say that, Tetsuya. Sorry if I teared up for you in front of my family. Anyways, let's all head back home." Then Yuki, Yuki's family, and Tetsuya headed out of the train station towards the direction of Sakagami Bakery.

Upon nearing the block before Sakagami Bakery was when Tetsuya stood still and proceeded to say, "Well I have to head back to my apartment to unpack my duffle bag. But I might stop by after a while." Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia waved goodbye to Tetsuya before he started heading towards the direction of his apartment complex. Meanwhile, Yuki stood there with a natural look on her face not knowing what to do. "What's wrong, Yuki?" Shia asked out of concern. Yuki then proceeded to say with a gloomy look on her face, "Even though I have gone out with Tetsuya for four months now. He has not shown me his apartment. I wanted to ask him if I could tag along with him. *sniffles* But I stood there like a coward.". Shia then told Yosaki and Shiznae who were already inside the bakery about what Yuki just said.

"I will go and try to comfort Yuki." Shiznae stated before heading out to where Yuki was standing. Not before long, Yuki started to take a couple of steps before Shiznae stopped her. "Sweetheart, please don't get sad. Shia had told me and your father about what happened." Shiznae said to Yuki who started to feel sad. Yuki then proceeded to say, "Mom, I don't what has been going on with me lately. *sniffles* I thought seeing Tetsuya would make me feel better but it did not help at all. It's like all of courage I had is starting to slip away from me." Shiznae had a worried look on her face and needed to come up with an assuring way to help Yuki. "You missed Tetsuya a lot while he was away. I get that part but there was a reason why he went on the trip that he did. Yuki, there is another reason I believe why Tetsuya went on that trip was not only for him to reconcile with his sister and brother-in-law. I had sensed his motive behind the trip once he got off the train earlier today. But this was something he did not want to say while on our way home." Shiznae said in a comforting voice. "What should I do then, Mom?" Yuki asked with a calm look on her face. "Go to him, Yuki. I know that you need him to comfort you deeply. Remember don't come home too late alright." Shiznae responded with a reassuring look on her face. Yuki then embraced her mother and promised that she would return home later. In that moment, Yuki proceeded to the direction of Tetsuya's apartment.

" _Well, Home sweet home. Looks like no one trashed the place while I was gone. Ok it's time that I call Kushina as promised._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he got situated in his apartment and picked up his phone. Then Tetsuya proceeded to dial the number to Kushina and Minato's house. A few seconds passed by and then a voice had come from the phone saying, "Oh hello, Tetsuya. You just caught me right in time. You know. So, what's up?". "Hi, Kushina. I was just calling to tell you that I made it back home safe and sound." Tetsuya responded back. "Minato says hi by the way. I am glad you made it back safely, little brother. How about I call you two times a week?" Kushina asked out of curiosity. "That sounds great to me. Sorry if I had to rush this phone call but there is some unpacking that needed to be done. Tell Minato that I said hello and to make sure not to cause you any trouble alright." Tetsuya responded back with a calm voice. "Don't worry I will tell him that you said hi. I love you, little brother. Bye." Kushina said in an assuring voice. "I love you too, Sis. Goodbye." Tetsuya stated back to end the phone conversation.

Once Tetsuya put his phone down on the table, he heard a knock coming from his front door. "Who is it?" Tetsuya asked in response to the door knocking. Then Tetsuya had gotten up to see who was at the door after getting no response and became surprised to see who was in front of him. "Yuki, I am surprised to see you here right outside of my apartment. This is sudden for you being here." Tetsuya said with the surprised look on his face. Yuki then responded with a natural look on her face and said, "Tetsuya, there is something that I need to tell you.". "Alright then, what is it that you want to tell me?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. Then, Yuki proceeded to tell Tetsuya what she said to Shia earlier and apologized for her actions earlier. "*sighs* It's ok, Yuki. Thank you for telling me this because I was worried from the time I made it back here. I will be more certainly glad to show you around the apartment. Come on in, don't be shy." Tetsuya responded with a reassuring look on his face.


	15. Ultimate Concern

15

The Ultimate Concern

Yuki then proceeded to enter Tetsuya's apartment without any hesitation shown on her face. Tetsuya gave a quick tour of his apartment to Yuki and once the tour was over he said, "Well what do you think of the apartment?". "I think it is a very nice apartment with all of the big space you have." Yuki responded truthfully to Tetsuya's question. That put a smile on Tetsuya's face and he went to grab his duffle bag out of the living room into his bedroom. Then Tetsuya proceeded to ask with a nervous look on his face, "Do you want to help me unpack this duffle bag, Yuki?". "Sure. You just have to show me where these things need to go." Yuki responded back. With that Tetsuya and Yuki unpacked the contents that were in the duffle bag away.

Tetsuya then asked if Yuki wanted something to drink and he offered a glass of juice to her for an effort in helping unpack his things out of the duffle bag. "Oh thank you, Tetsuya. So, who are the two people besides you in those two portraits." Yuki said once she grabbed the cup of juice and taking a sip of it. "Well in the first portrait has me and my brother-in-law. Then in the second portrait has me, my brother-in-law, and my sister." Tetsuya explained to Yuki about the people in the portraits. Yuki was amazed about the portraits despite that she had a wondrous look on her face. This eventually started to concern Tetsuya and he asked, "Is something bothering you, Yuki." Then Yuki with a sigh under breath responded back by saying, "Well not quite you see before coming here my mother had mentioned something about motives. Tetsuya, was there a motive behind the trip that you went on other than reconciling with your sister and brother-in-law?".

It was in that moment, Tetsuya had to thoroughly explain the motive behind his trip to Yuki and he figured out the right answer to the question. "*sighs* You see the motive behind the trip was not fully revealed to me until after that phone conversation I had with you, Yuki. A few hours after that phone call both my sister and brother-in-law had told me that they wanted to meet you one day and my sister reminded me of that once I got on the train today. However, that is the one thing which gravely concerns me a lot." Tetsuya stated his motive in an honest matter. "So, your sister and brother-in-law want to meet me in person. Why do you have grave concerns over that, Tetsuya?" Yuki responded back with a question of her own.

Tetsuya soon realized that he had to tell Yuki the truth behind his concern immediately. "It's because I do not want you to get hurt when the time comes for them to visit. Well my brother-in-law is not the reason for the concern because he is a nice guy to hang around with. However, it is my sister that I am mostly worried about and there is a reason which concerns me gravely. Yuki, there is something that you need to know about a certain trait which few members of my family possess. This trait is that if you get one of them angry, let's say that they will more likely go on a rampage and target anyone in sight. My sister even though she is a real nice person who loves to talk a lot and she has that trait I just mentioned earlier." Yuki was shocked and saddened about Tetsuya's concern. "I know that you care about me a lot, Tetsuya. How long does it take for your sister to calm down during one of these rampage moods?" Yuki asked out of concern. "*sigh* it takes a while for someone that is not very close to her. However, if she is in a rampage when I am nearby it ends in a couple of minutes. The reason is that she did not want to see me sad since I am one of the very few people that understand her very well. I have seen this happen only a few times while I was alive." Tetsuya responded back while finishing his cup of juice.

Yuki realized how important the concern is to Tetsuya and finished her cup of juice. "Tetsuya, is it ok if I told my family about this?" Yuki asked while her head was on Tetsuya's shoulder. "I am alright with that, Yuki. Oh, it's getting late shouldn't you be getting back home soon." Tetsuya said after looking at the time on his phone. Then Yuki started to feel worried and Tetsuya calmed her down to take her time in getting ready to head out. Once Yuki was about to head out of Tetsuya's apartment is when Tetsuya proceeded to kiss her on the forehead. "Thank you for spending time and helping me out tonight, Yuki. I appreciated it a lot. Tell your mom or your dad that I will be there in the morning to help. I love you." Tetsuya said before Yuki left his apartment. Yuki proceeded to wave her hand and said, "No problem, Tetsuya. Don't worry I will tell one of my parents about your offer to help. Anyways, I better head on home. I love you too." In that moment, Yuki left Tetsuya's apartment and headed straight back to Sakagami bakery with no problems.

Upon entering Sakagami bakery is when Yuki noticed that there was a light still on in the very back of the building near the dining room and checked it out. "Well you made it back on time at least, Yuki." Yosaki who was sitting in the dining room said to Yuki. "So, how did your time with Tetsuya turn out?" Shiznae asked out of curiosity. Yuki was surprised to see that both of her parents were still awake. "It turned out to be a great time with me and Tetsuya. Mom and Dad, there is one thing that Tetsuya wanted me to tell you guys. He will show up here in the morning to help out with the bakery." Yuki responded back. Yosaki then proceeded to say, "That is great news so I should show him how things run around here in the bakery. Alright then I will wait for his arrival in the morning before I open up the store."

In that moment, Yuki had a troubling look on her face. "Yuki, Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Shiznae asked out of concern. Yuki took a couple of deep breaths before proceeding to say, "Mom, you know that motive speech you gave me before I left for Tetsuya's apartment. Well I found out it was more of a feeling of grave concern on his end. It saddened me to hear what he told me about the concerning issue. But he gave me permission to tell you and dad about this concern." Suddenly Yosaki remembered the last thing Tetsuya said to him once he got off the train earlier today. "Yuki, is this concern about Tetsuya wanting to bring his sister and brother-in-law over here to visit?" Yosaki asked with the first thing that came into his mind. "Yes, Dad. However, Tetsuya had warned me in advance not to provoke his family but more specifically his sister." Yuki responded with honesty. Shiznae got a little confused on Yuki's answer and suddenly asked, "Why should we not provoke Tetsuya's sister?". Immediately Yuki explained to her parents about the provoking behavior trait which Kushina possesses.

"I am starting to realize the reason why Tetsuya wanted to tell us this information. It's more so that he wants to make sure that none of us want to get hurt. Am I right, Yuki?" Yosaki said in response to the trait explanation. Yuki shook her head in the yes fashion. Shiznae then proceeded to say, "If he wanted you to tell us this information, Yuki. Then let me tell it to your sister first thing in the morning." Yuki replied the same way she did towards her father. Then Yuki proceeded to say before heading off to bed, "I will convince Tetsuya to go through with his visit idea. But I am going to need your cooperation on this dad." "Yes I will help you out with this plan, Yuki. Tell it to me first thing in morning. *yawns* boy it is getting late. Well it's time for all us to get some sleep." Yosaki said before he and Shiznae headed off to bed.


	16. Tetsuya's First Day of Work

16

Tetsuya's First Day of Work

Then the morning came, Tetsuya got up and ready to head out to Sakagami Bakery for his first day on the job. " _I hope the first day on working for Yuki's parents turns out good. Yet at the same time I am a little nervous about this._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while he locked up the door to his apartment. Once he arrived at Sakagami Bakery, Tetsuya noticed that Yosaki was standing outside sweeping up the entranceway. "Good morning, Tetsuya. I will show you what you are going to be doing today after I get done sweeping." Yosaki greeted Tetsuya while holding the broom in his hand. Tetsuya proceeded to say with a smile on his face, "Yes, Yosaki. Good morning to you as well." After getting done sweeping is when Yosaki went inside to see Tetsuya standing a few feet from the entrance door.

Yosaki then proceeded to grab an apron out of the storage closet and handed it to Tetsuya. It was in that moment Yosaki said to Tetsuya, "Ok the first thing that you are going to be doing today is sorting out the bread and put the fresh batches in their perspective spots.". Tetsuya nodded his head yes while he put on the apron and started to sort out the bread like Yosaki instructed him. Once Tetsuya got done sorting the bread is when Yosaki waved for him to come to the counter. "Now the next thing you are going to do from the time the bakery opens until it closes is handling the cash register. If you run into any problems with customers, then contact me. Do you understand what I said?" Yosaki asked in an instructive tone to Tetsuya. "Yes, sir." Tetsuya responded back with clarity in his voice. There was still some time left before Yosaki opened the store.

Suddenly there were three loud yawns coming from the very back of the bakery that Tetsuya and Yosaki heard. "*sigh* Ah so they are awake now. It will be around an hour before I open the store. I am going to make a cup of coffee. Do you want some coffee, Tetsuya?" Yosaki said before heading to the kitchen. Tetsuya responded back by saying, "Sure." With that Yosaki went to the kitchen and started to make the coffee. Meanwhile, Tetsuya had pulled out the book that Kushina gave him and started to read it while waiting for coffee.

Upon starting the coffee maker is when Yosaki heard a familiar voice say, "*yawns* Good morning, Dad. I see that you are making coffee already. I thought I heard another voice coming from the front.". "Yes you did hear another voice Yuki because Tetsuya's here and he got briefed on what he is doing today. Also, a cup of coffee is for him as well. So, is your mother and sister awake?" Yosaki said to Yuki with a calm tone. In that moment, Yuki started to panic since she was not fully dressed and decided to put on some nice shirt and sweatpants. Then Yuki responded back to Yosaki's question by saying, "Yes both Mom and Shia are awake. Oh, Dad by the way Mom had told Shia already about what I told you last night. She told her an hour after you went to sleep.". "Ok I am going to make breakfast after fixing the cups of coffee. Tetsuya's up at the counter if you want to say hi to him." Yosaki said with a gleeful look to Yuki.

Yuki then proceeded to head towards the front of the building where Tetsuya was. Upon approaching the front of the bakery is when Yuki heard Tetsuya chuckling a little while holding the book in his hand. "Good morning, Tetsuya. I see that you are in a cheerful and humorous mood. Why are you laughing?" Yuki greeted and asked Tetsuya out of curiosity. Tetsuya responded back with a smile on his face saying, "Oh good morning Yuki. I was just laughing at a part of this book.". Then both Shiznae and Shia loudly greeted Tetsuya which he did back. Yosaki proceeded to give Tetsuya the cup of coffee and Tetsuya nodded his head in thanks for the drink.

With a curious look on her face, Yuki asked Tetsuya about the book he had in his hand. Tetsuya responded by saying, "Oh this book is something my sister gave to me while I was on my trip. It's more so of a diary that she wrote every day until I reconciled with her and my-brother-in-law. There were some entries I thought were funny since my sister at times loves to tease my brother-in-law just for sheer joy." Yuki then started to chuckle a little and proceeded to head back to the dining room to have breakfast. " _Hmm…I am glad that Yuki thought some of the stories Kushina put in this book were funny. Anyways, I better finish this coffee before the bakery opens which is ten minutes from now._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while sipping on his cup of coffee and closed his book.

Once Yosaki proceeded to the front of the bakery is when he opened the store. "Good luck, Tetsuya. Either Shiznae or myself might pop by to see how well you are doing. If there is no business by around midday, then we will bring you something to eat." Yosaki said his best wishes to Tetsuya. Then Tetsuya thanked Yosaki for his message and built up confidence in himself for the first day on the job. " _Tetsuya, I have complete faith in you so good luck. If you are going to work here, then I am going to look for places to work as well._ " Yuki thought to herself after overhearing Tetsuya and Yosaki's conversation.

It was in that moment while the Sakagami family was finishing up breakfast is when Yuki stood up with a smile on her face. Then Yuki proceeded to say, "Mom, Dad, I am going out to look for jobs today.". Yosaki and Shiznae had smiles on their faces upon hearing Yuki's message. Shia had a shocking look but eventually turned to a joyous look after hearing what her sister just said. With that Yuki decided to switch from her sweatpants onto a decent pair of jeans before she headed out. Once Yuki had reached the front of the store Tetsuya stopped her just for a moment. Tetsuya then proceeded to say, "Yuki, I heard what you said to your family just now. Well there is one thing I want to say to you before you head out.". "What is it that you want to say to me, Tetsuya?" Yuki asked out of curiosity. "Do your best out there today. I believe that you can do it and I am very supportive of your decision. See you when you get back, Yuki." Tetsuya addressed his words of encouragement. Yuki then proceeded to say with a smile on her face, "Thank you, Tetsuya. If you are doing this for both me and you. Then I am doing my share as well. Anyways, I will see you when I get back." With that Yuki left to head for the shopping district to seek out for employment opportunities while Tetsuya looked on with a big smile on his face.

The first couple of hours after the bakery was opened business was booming and Tetsuya handled his job very well with no complaints from customers that came in. Around midday was when business at the bakery started to wind down and Tetsuya started to eat the lunch Yuki's parents had provided him. In the middle of eating his lunch is when Tetsuya noticed Yosaki coming nearby. "So, how are you holding up so far, Tetsuya?" Yosaki asked to get an update from Tetsuya. "It is going pretty good so far. No complaints from customers that came by." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face. Meanwhile, Shiznae had brought the next batch of bread and which she organized it while Tetsuya was still eating his lunch. This was the perfect opportunity for Yosaki to ask Tetsuya about what Yuki said the night before.

"Tetsuya, I am aware about the situation you are facing about concerning making plans for a potential visit from your sister and brother-in-law. Yuki told us about it last night." Yosaki stated to Tetsuya about the previous night's concern. "*sighs* well you see I do not want any of you guys getting hurt if my sister goes on a rampage. Over during the four months that I have been going out with your daughter, I am beginning to realize how important your family is to me through Yuki's eyes. My values for you guys is the same as the values of both my sister and brother-in-law. That is why it has become a conflict for me to go through with this plan." Tetsuya stated the truth to Yosaki on his feelings of the situation.

Shiznae who was still standing nearby the counter proceeded to say, "Tetsuya, I know that you have this heavy concern. But please do not let that prevent you from doing what is best for you. Having your sister and brother-in-law come here to visit you is a wonderful idea. I think your sister wants to meet the person who is making you, her brother happy and loves you for the way you are. Besides if these rampages become a problem then we will help you in the safest way possible." Upon hearing those words, Tetsuya almost swelled up in tears and decided not to cry since the bakery was still open which did not want to embarrass any customers. However, Tetsuya proceeded to say, "I really cannot express how thankful I am for you guys saying these convincing words. It has made my decision on the visitation of my sister and brother-in-law an absolute yes. I am hopefully on having them come around three weeks from now. But I have to confirm this through my sister first."

After having that conversation is when Tetsuya's lunch break ended and went back to working the counter. Suddenly two customers with black hair had come by to pick up a few pastries but to Tetsuya they looked familiar to him. " _Hmm…those two are eerily familiar. I mean judging by the hair length the tall male has short black hair while the female standing next to him has real long black hair. There were only two people that I knew of who had this hairstyle. Wait a minute, don't tell me that it can't be them. The only way I can tell is by looking at the faces just to make sure._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while glancing at the two customers who were steadily approaching to pay for the pastries. Then the male customer had come to pay for the pastry order and he had curving lines stretching from his cheekbones near the nose.

While handing the male change back from the pastry order Tetsuya had a shocked look on his face. Then the female suddenly rushes behind the male and puts the change into her wallet. "Wow we must have gotten a discount for the pastries we bought, Mikoto. However, it is unusual for a bakery to give discounts like this. Here is the bag of pastries." The male said in a stern voice to his wife, Mikoto. "Ok let me put away my wallet first, Fugaku. These were very interesting pastries. But like you said, it is very unusual for bakeries to even give unnoticed discounts." Mikoto responded back to her husband, Fugaku.

In that moment, Tetsuya's suspicion was very indeed correct not only by hearing the names but after taking a glance at Mikoto's face is when it dawned on him. " _There is no mistake about it. That indeed is Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha. I remember that they were good friends with Kushina and Minato. More specifically, Mikoto was very close friends with Kushina. It's highly doubtful that either one of them recognized me with this apron on._ " Tetsuya had thought to himself after hearing their conversation. A few seconds passed by before Shiznae and Shia went to check on Tetsuya's progress to only see him standing there with a surprised look on his face.

Tetsuya had noticed Shiznae and Shia there while still speechless to see the two people that were standing right in front of him. Then Mikoto looked towards Shiznae and said, "Are you the owner of this bakery?". "Yes I am the owner of this bakery. If there were any problems with your transaction. Well I do apologize in advance for that you see it is this guy's first day on the job." Shiznae responded to Mikoto with honesty drenched on her face. Not even before anyone in the room could speak, Yuki entered the bakery after doing some job searching without awareness of the current situation. This did raise some suspicion on Yuki's face when she got closer to her mother and sister's location.

"What is going on here?" Yuki asked her mother out of curiosity. "Well me and your sister were just checking to see how Tetsuya was doing. Suddenly he stood there speechless after he gave these two customers change back for their order." Shiznae responded back. Suddenly upon hearing that conversation is when both Fugaku and Mikoto realized who was standing right in front of them. "Hold on, that short red hair and blue eyes. Is that really you, Tetsuya?" Mikoto asked Tetsuya in an honest voice. Tetsuya's expression suddenly changed with a grateful smile on his face and noticed Yuki was in the room. "Yes, it is me. Sorry if I did not say anything earlier. It was that I was surprised to see the both of you out of all people to be here." Tetsuya responded to Mikoto's question by addressing it to both Mikoto and Fugaku.

"Wait a minute, you know these people?" Shia, Shiznae, and Yuki all asked Tetsuya out of curiosity. Tetsuya with a smile on his face responded by saying, "Yes, I do they are very close family friends of mine. Allow me to introduce them. The lady with the long black hair is Mikoto Uchiha. Then her husband who is the guy standing next to her is Fugaku Uchiha." Now this caused Yuki to wonder why Tetsuya never mentioned about any other friends of his beyond the Fujibayashi twins. "I never knew you had any family friends, Tetsuya." Yuki said with a nice glare on her face. Tetsuya got suddenly nervous upon seeing the glare that Yuki made on her face.

Fugaku took the bag of pastries out of Mikoto's hand and proceeded to walk towards the exit of the bakery. "Mikoto, I will be waiting for you outside. Do not take long since we got other things to do. It was nice to see you again, Tetsuya." Fugaku said to both Mikoto and Tetsuya with a stern voice. " _Hmm…Fugaku sure has not changed a bit since the last time I saw him. It is starting to make me feel all nervous and embarrassed that old family friends come out of nowhere. Along the fact that my girlfriend is standing right there makes me wonder what is going to happen now._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he saw Fugaku leave the bakery.

Mikoto noticed the glare that Yuki was giving Tetsuya and she kept a calm look on her face. "Yuki, can you please stop giving me that glare. It's going to creep out anybody that comes in here even me." Tetsuya said with a nervous look on his face. Yuki's glare gradually left her face. "I see that you still get nervous each time someone gives you a glare, Tetsuya. Hmm….it is like the rare times that you had to witness Minato and Kushina argue. No wonder why you were always the calm one out of that trio." Mikoto said in response to the current situation. Tetsuya then proceeded to say with a calm look on his face, "Well you are right on that, Mikoto. But still you are my sister's best friend. I am guessing you and Fugaku are only visiting the area before you head back home."

"Yes that's right, Tetsuya. We are heading back home tomorrow and wanted to stop here to get something for the return trip. Oh by the way, you don't have to tell me about Kushina and Minato reconciling with you. Because Kushina had contacted me last night and told me everything." Mikoto responded back before leaving the store. Tetsuya was not surprised to hear that because he knew very well how close Kushina and Mikoto's friendship was. Then, Mikoto waved goodbye to Tetsuya and he waved back at her as well. Shia had a wondrous look on her face towards Tetsuya. Meanwhile, Yosaki had entered the room and in that moment, is when Yuki explained to her father what just happened.

After Mikoto left the bakery was when work had resumed for Tetsuya until it got close to sunset which is when the bakery closes. "Tetsuya, who is this Kushina and Minato people that the lady that came in here earlier was talking about?" Shia asked Tetsuya out of curiosity. Tetsuya who was proceeding to head back towards his apartment responded by saying, "Shia, those are the names of my sister and brother-in-law." Shia felt a little relieved to hear the answer while she headed back to the Sakagami living room. Then Tetsuya left the bakery with a smile on his face and thought to himself, " _That was an interesting first day on the job. Seeing Mikoto and Fugaku there which is very unusual. However, I should call Kushina to make the arrangements for her and Minato's visit. This can happen after I get done eating dinner._ "

Upon finishing his dinner which was leftovers from the previous day's lunch, Tetsuya picked up his cell phone to dial Kushina and Minato's number. "Hi, Tetsuya. I did not expect to get a call from you until tomorrow or something like that, you know." Kushina responded on the call got through. "Sorry about that, Kushina. But I wanted to know what you and Minato are doing say around three weeks from now. Also, I seen Mikoto with Fugaku today and she told me that they were heading back in your direction tomorrow." Tetsuya responded on his end of the phone call.

"That's good to hear that Mikoto and Fugaku are headed back home tomorrow. Well me and Minato's got nothing happening three weeks from now. Why did you want to know that, little brother?" Kushina asked out of curiosity. Tetsuya with a sigh on his end of the phone conversation proceeded to say, "It's that I want you guys to come down and visit me for a week. If that is ok with you and Minato?". Then Kushina who was still on the phone proceeded to tell Minato what Tetsuya just said. "Well I talked it over with Minato and he said that sounds perfect for us, you know." Kushina said with a joyous voice.Tetsuya responded by saying, "That is great. I will have the apartment cleaned and getting everything ready for your guys' arrival. *sighs* Guess I will talk to you later and tell Minato I said hello for me, ok. I love you, Sis.". "Don't worry I will. Have a good week then? Goodbye and I love you too, little brother." Kushina said her goodbye message before ending the phone call.

Upon placing his phone on the table, Tetsuya heard a knock on his door and checked to see who was there. "Oh, Yuki come on in. Do you want a cup of tea?" Tetsuya responded once he saw Yuki standing in his doorway. "Sure, I will have a cup of tea. There is something that I need to tell you." Yuki responded back with a smile on her face. "Well I got something to tell you about as well, Yuki." Tetsuya said while getting two cups of tea ready. After placing the cups on the table is when Tetsuya started to get concerned on what kind of news Yuki wanted to tell him. "What is it that you wanted to tell me, Yuki?" Tetsuya asked out of concern. Yuki with a couple of deep breaths responded back by saying, "I got hired to work as a cook for the ramen shop that is two blocks away from my house. Not the noodle shop in the shopping district on the other side of town. Fun thing is that they want me to start working there tomorrow. Are you happy for me, Tetsuya?"

Tetsuya proceeded to have a big smile on his face and started to embrace Yuki in his arms. "Yes I am very happy for you, Yuki." Tetsuya responded back. Yuki felt joy coming into her heart from Tetsuya's response. Getting all caught up in that moment Yuki proceeded to say, "So what is it that you wanted to tell me, Tetsuya?". "The thing I wanted to tell you is that three weeks from today my sister and brother-in-law are coming down here to visit for about a week. I had just got off the phone with my sister to make those plans before you got here, Yuki." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face. Yuki finished her cup of tea with a smile on her face and was happy with what Tetsuya said. After he finished his cup of tea, Tetsuya escorted Yuki out of his apartment and gave her a goodbye kiss since he realized that she needed to get up early to start her first day of work.


	17. Preparations for the Anticipated Visit

17

Preparations for the Anticipated Visit

Two weeks had passed by and it was the day before Minato and Kushina's arrival. During the two-week span, Tetsuya got his apartment all furnished up and setting up a guest room. Also, Yuki had started to work at the noodle shop and she was making exceptional progress despite the schedule being decent to the point where she worked four days a week. " _Good tomorrow is the big day. I am a little nervous about it since this is going to be Minato and Kushina's first time being here. However, I do want someone to come with me when I head to the train station tomorrow to pick them up. Before that happens, I need to figure out what time their train arrives tomorrow. That means calling Kushina or Minato during my lunch break._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while he was helping Yosaki open the bakery. Business at the bakery during the previous two weeks was steady as usual.

The first part of Tetsuya's shift was busy since there few customers that bought big orders of pastries which almost cleaned out the whole bakery. Yuki who getting ready to leave for work noticed that most of the shelves were empty and signaled Shiznae to come up to the front of the bakery. "Wow what happened with our shelves, Tetsuya?" Shiznae asked Tetsuya out of curiosity. "It seems that after the busy rush customers had bought most of your pastries, Shiznae. To come to think of it that is rare for this kind of thing to happen." Tetsuya responded with an honest voice. Suddenly, Shiznae went straight back to the kitchen to bring out more pastries to be added on the shelves. "Well I am heading out for work now. See you guys later." Yuki said while heading out of the bakery. "Have a good day at work, Yuki." Tetsuya said in reply with a smile on his face.

After organizing the freshly made pastries on the shelves is when Tetsuya's lunch break began. Tetsuya had walked to the back of the kitchen seeing Shia, Yosaki, and Shiznae standing there serving out their lunches. "I'll be in the back porch if you guys need me. I just have to make a phone call really quick." Tetsuya said to the Sakagami family members. "Ok, Tetsuya. Don't forget to grab your lunch on the way there." Shiznae said in a calm tone. Upon grabbing his lunch is when Tetsuya found a nice spot and pulled out his phone.

Taking a quick bite of the delicious lunch Shiznae made is when Tetsuya dialed the number to Kushina's house. A few seconds had passed by and a response came on Tetsuya's phone. "Oh hello, Tetsuya. You caught me at the perfect time, you know." Kushina said on her end of the phone. "Hi, Kushina. I was just wondering what time tomorrow is the train you guys are catching supposed to arrive?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. "Minato told me this morning that the train is arriving at your location tomorrow around midday. Well I cannot wait to see you, little brother. Thank you for calling and we will see you tomorrow." Kushina said in a rushed tone. After Tetsuya said his goodbye on the phone is when the conversation ended and finished eating his lunch upon putting his phone away.

"So what did you think of lunch today, Tetsuya?" Shiznae asked Tetsuya once he put his dish in the sink. "It was pretty good today, Shiznae. Before I forget do you and Yosaki have a moment. Because I need to tell you guys something urgent." Tetsuya responded back with a calm look on his face. Shiznae and Yosaki nodded their heads in a yes fashion. It was in that moment when Tetsuya told them what time Kushina and Minato's train was to arrive tomorrow. "Oh ok. Do you want one of us to accompany you tomorrow?" Yosaki asked in response to Tetsuya's situation. Tetsuya had given that some thought before responding to the question saying, "Yes I was thinking about that. I am aware that Yuki has to work tomorrow. So, would you guys mind if Shia accompanied me tomorrow?". "Yes that will be fine with me and Shiznae." Yosaki responded to Tetsuya's question with a gleeful look. Shia who was sitting in the dining room overheard Tetsuya and Yosaki's conversation had been overwhelmed.

Then Tetsuya proceeded to head back to the front of the bakery to finish out the second half of his shift. Business was slow contrary to earlier in the day so that made Tetsuya's job a little easier just that he had to sweep up the floor before closing the bakery. Once he was about to leave the bakery, Tetsuya was approached by Shia. "So what time do I have to be ready by tomorrow, Tetsuya?" Shia asked out of curiosity. "Be ready to leave in the morning and I will be here to wait on you, Shia. Either you or your parents should tell your sister about what the plan is so she does not panic over it and making her late for work, ok. Well I am off for my apartment now." Tetsuya responded with honesty and left the bakery. Shia nodded to Tetsuya's response in agreement with his plan.

Once Tetsuya made it to his apartment, he did one last round of cleaning up his apartment and making sure everything was right. With a sigh of relief, Tetsuya decided to cook himself some leftover ramen that Yuki brought from work. " _Ah now the apartment looks all nice and ready to go for their visit. I am glad that Shia agreed to come along with me tomorrow because it can take the pressure from Yuki having to worry about missing work. Well I better eat this ramen now before it gets bad._ " Tetsuya thought to himself before eating his dinner.

Meanwhile, Yuki had arrived home from work feeling a little exhausted and seen that her family had just served dinner. "Oh you're back, Yuki. So how was work today?" Shia asked while fixing up Yuki's plate. "*sighs* it was real busy and exhausting. Now I am worrying a little since Tetsuya's sister and brother-in-law are supposed to be arriving in the area tomorrow." Yuki said in a worried tone. Then Yuki grabbed her plate and proceeded to sit down in the dining room with her family. "Don't worry about it, Yuki. Besides Tetsuya has chosen to have Shia in accompanying him tomorrow when he picks up his sister and brother-in-law. He did that so you won't miss work tomorrow." Yosaki said halfway through eating dinner. Yuki felt happy about hearing that.

Upon finishing dinner is when Yuki and Shia decided to have one of their sister-sister talks in Yuki's room. "So are you nervous about tomorrow, Yuki?" Shia asked out of curiosity. "Well I am a little nervous since it will be the first time I get to see Tetsuya's sister and brother-in-law." Yuki responded with an honest look on her face. Shia then said back with a sigh under her breath, "At least it's better than making a big worry out of it. I mean Tetsuya did this because he cares deeply about you and wants to see you happy. Besides you are going to make a good impression towards his sister and brother-in-law to show how much you appreciate and love him.". Yuki had a smile on her face and proceeded to say, "You're right, Shia. I should make a good impression to show my love for Tetsuya. Even though they are staying for the week. At least you get to see them before I do. Anyways, I better get to bed since it is going to be another long day of work tomorrow. If you leave before I wake up tell Tetsuya that I love him and make sure he does not do anything reckless.". Shia agreed to Yuki's statement and left the room to get ready for bed. " _Tetsuya you do not have worry about a thing now._ " Shia thought to herself before going to sleep.


	18. Minato and Kushina's Visit: Day One

18

The Visit of Minato and Kushina: Day One

The following day is when Minato and Kushina had got their suitcases ready and proceeded to head towards the train station. "*yawns* Why is the train departure this early in morning, you know?" Kushina asked in a drowsy voice. Minato with a sigh replied, "Kushina this was the best deal we could find on tickets. Besides you can sleep on the train since it's a three-hour trip to Tetsuya's area." Kushina had a smile on her face since she did not get enough sleep the night before due to her excitement of today's events. Once they got on the train, Minato and Kushina found good seats near the door. Upon getting situated in the seats is when Kushina had laid her head-on Minato's shoulder and proceeded to take a nap. " _We will be there very soon, Tetsuya._ " Minato thought to himself while looking out the train window. The train had left the Pure Land Leaf Village train station for the station near Tetsuya's area.

Meanwhile, Tetsuya got up and left for the Sakagami Bakery to get Shia before heading to the train station. "Are you ready, Shia?" Tetsuya said once he saw Shia standing besides Yosaki outside of the bakery. Shia nodded her head yes and proceeded to the train station with Tetsuya. "Shia do not cause any trouble for Tetsuya, ok. Have fun today." Yosaki said with a calm tone in his voice. "Don't worry, Dad. I will not cause trouble for Tetsuya." Shia responded with an assuring voice. With that Shia and Tetsuya left the vicinity of Sakagami Bakery for the train station.

"Oh by the way, Tetsuya. Yuki had told me to tell you do not do any reckless things today." Shia said as a reminder Tetsuya while halfway to the train station. Tetsuya with a sigh under his breath had put on a smile on his face knowing that Yuki would get onto him if he failed to keep her promise. Once they got to the entrance of the train station, Tetsuya noticed that there was a coffee shop two spaces away from the juice shop that Yuki went to when he returned from his trip. So, Tetsuya got himself a cup of coffee from the shop and looked up at the arrivals list which noted that Minato and Kushina's train is set to arrive within a half hour. "Shia, I am going to be sitting on this bench right here to wait for my sister and brother-in-law. If you want to go to the juice bar and get something for yourself now would be the best time before the line gets too long." Tetsuya said to Shia in a mannered tone. Shia then replied back by saying, "Thank you, Tetsuya. You're the best." In that moment, Tetsuya put a smile on his face and Shia went to the juice bar where the line was a little long but not too bad. Then Tetsuya was drinking a few sips of his coffee before he noticed that the train was within view.

Meanwhile, Kushina had woken up from her nap to see that Minato was looking out at the window. "Ah, you're awake Kushina. We are almost there because I can see the train station from here." Minato said in response to Kushina waking up. Kushina then proceeded to say, "That's good to know. Sorry if I had to take a nap on your shoulders, Minato. I must have been tired even though I went to sleep later than usual, you know." Minato then accepted Kushina's apology. Then the train's intercom system had announced that the train has made it to the destination. That is when Minato and Kushina grabbed their things and got off the train. " _Ah so the train has arrived and Shia still has not come back from the juice bar. Well I better get up to see where Minato and Kushina are at._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he saw the train making a complete stop.

Tetsuya walked around the train station after throwing his empty coffee cup in the garbage to find Minato and Kushina. "Tetsuya, we are over here by this bench." Minato shouted to get Tetsuya's attention. Then, Tetsuya noticed where Minato and Kushina were sitting at so he went towards their direction. "Kushina, Minato, You guys made it. So how was the train ride?" Tetsuya greeted Kushina and Minato while he hugged them with a smile on his face. "It was alright just that I had slept the whole time except for the last ten minutes or so." Kushina responded with a smile on her face. " _That juice bar line cannot take that long it has been forty minutes since Shia left for that direction._ " Tetsuya thought to himself with a sigh under his breath.

"Is something wrong, Tetsuya?" Minato asked out of concern. Tetsuya responded by saying, "Not really, Minato. I am glad that both of you guys arrived safely that's all." It was in that moment, when Tetsuya noticed that the juice bar line only had a couple of people now. So, after a while is when Shia was walking towards Tetsuya's direction with a cup of juice in her hand. This put a sigh of relief on Tetsuya's face because he was afraid that something went wrong with Shia.

"Shia. This is my sister, Kushina and my brother-in-law, Minato. Kushina and Minato. This is Shia, my girlfriend's younger sister." Tetsuya stated the introductions once Shia arrived at the location. Kushina, Minato, and Shia said nice to meet you towards each other. Then Kushina further examined Shia which creeped out both Tetsuya and Minato. "Umm…Kushina you are creeping both me and Tetsuya out with what you are doing." Minato said in a hesitant voice. "Sorry about that guys. You know." Kushina said in an apologetic tone. After the apology is when they left the train station and headed for Tetsuya's apartment. Not before Tetsuya showed off some landmark spots to Minato and Kushina.

Nearing the intersection between Sakagami Bakery and Tetsuya's apartment is when Shia stood still. "Well it was nice meeting you both, Kushina and Minato. Thank you for the fun time today, Tetsuya. Sorry about the long wait earlier. I got to head home now." Shia said with a smile on her face and went home to the bakery. Kushina then proceeded to say, "Tetsuya, where does Shia live if you don't mind me asking?". "Shia's house is actually inside a bakery and it is on the left side of this road. Then a few blocks down to the right is where my apartment is at." Tetsuya answered Kushina's question thoroughly.

Upon arriving at Tetsuya's apartment is when Minato and Kushina were amazed on the apartment's appearance. Then upon looking at the portraits on the right is when Minato said, "You kept these portraits, Tetsuya. Despite the issue we had in the past you had the portraits put up to show that you had thought of me and Kushina the entire time?". "That's right, Minato. Anyways, let me show you guys where you will be staying." Tetsuya responded while he was wrapping up the tour of his apartment. The room where Minato and Kushina were staying at is a spacious bedroom right next to the bathroom. Then Kushina remembered when Tetsuya complimented on her house and how it was better than his apartment. "Tetsuya, your apartment is not that bad. I think it's nice with all the space you have. You know." Kushina said in a complimentary voice to Tetsuya about his apartment. "Thank you, Kushina. Well I try to keep it maintained with a big cleaning once a week so this place will never get dirty." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Shia returned to the bakery only seeing that her parents were still there and they were closing for the day. "Shia, you're back. So how was your day today?" Shiznae asked once Shia entered the door. Then Shia with a smile on her face said in response, "It was good, Mom. Tetsuya got to show his sister and brother-in-law some of the sights here in town. They are nice people to be around with.". Suddenly, Yosaki entered the room and heard what Shia said which he had a wondrous look on his face. "Hmm…I am presuming your sister had got the long shift again at work. That gives me an idea how about we got eat at the noodle shop for dinner tonight." Yosaki said in proclamation. Shiznae then reacted by saying, "Alright that sounds perfect to us, Yosaki. I hope Yuki does not get embarrassed to see us while she's working." With that Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia got ready to head out for the noodle shop.

Back in Tetsuya's apartment, Kushina's stomach started to growl loud enough that it got both Tetsuya and Minato's attention. "I am starting to feel a little hungry, you know. Tetsuya is there any place around here that has good food?" Kushina asked with her stomach still growling. Tetsuya responded back by saying, "Well there is this noodle shop that's about a few blocks from here. *sighs* It also happens to be the very same shop where my girlfriend works at. If she is still over there then it will be the perfect opportunity for you and Minato to meet her.". "That will be fine with us, Tetsuya. We are ready to head out when you are." Minato said in agreeing with Tetsuya's suggestion. Tetsuya locked up his apartment once Minato and Kushina got out of there. In that moment Tetsuya alongside Kushina and Minato proceeded to head towards the noodle shop. " _It was a good thing that Kushina said she wanted to go out to eat. Since the tour took up most of the day that I had not laid out anything to prepare dinner at home. I am glad that this will be hopefully the first time to see Yuki at her workplace. Seems that my nervous feeling is starting to kick in._ " Tetsuya thought to himself with a nervous look on his face.

Reaching the block before the noodle shop is when Tetsuya noticed that Shia, Yosaki, and Shiznae were a few feet ahead from him, Kushina, and Minato. In that moment, Shia turned her head back to wave at Tetsuya and signaled for them to come over at her location. Once they got to their location is when Kushina and Minato introduced themselves to Yosaki and Shiznae. "It is an honor to meet you both." Shiznae stated back with a smile on her face. " _So Tetsuya had thought of the same idea as me wanting to have dinner at the noodle shop. Luckily there is no one waiting in line so that is a sigh of relief._ " Yosaki thought to himself once he got done with introductory greetings from Minato and Kushina. After taking a few steps nearing the noodle shop's entrance, Tetsuya's nerves calmed down and put on a courageous smile on his face.

"Welcome to the area's finest noodle shop. Come on in and take a seat. Someone will be with you very shortly to take your orders." The receptionist said to Tetsuya, Kushina, Minato, Shia, Yosaki, and Shiznae once they entered the shop. Once they took their seats is when Tetsuya notices that Yuki was working in the kitchen. Then a waitress came by and proceeded to take the orders with everyone getting a regular bowl of ramen while Kushina did not want any salt on her order. "Excuse me, miss. There is a request that when our orders get done can you make sure the girl with the brown hair that is in the kitchen serve it out to us." Tetsuya asked the waitress before she left the table. Suddenly the waitress took a closer look at Tetsuya and proceeded to say, "Oh wait a minute, you are the person that Yuki talks about all the time. I will make the request happen.". Tetsuya nodded his head in a yes fashion and thanked the waitress for accepting the request. This was a sudden surprise for all of them to hear that but it made Tetsuya feel happy to hear what the waitress said.

The waitress after giving Yuki the paper which had the food orders on them proceeded to say, "Yuki, you are going to serve out the next order. It was made as a request by the gentleman with the short red hair sitting over there in the first table. If you don't believe me look for yourself. After you hand out the order that will end your shift." Then Yuki after glancing at the paper looked towards the table where the waitress was talking about and had a surprised look on her face. "Yes, ma'am. I will do my best to serve this order of food." Yuki said with confidence and clocked out after filling up the bowls with ramen.

"So the person who looked at us just now, is that Yuki?" Minato asked out of curiosity. Tetsuya responded to the question in addressing it to both Kushina and Minato by saying, "Yes that is Yuki." In that moment, Tetsuya had walked up from the table and headed towards the bathroom with a smile on his face. " _I hope the food comes out by the time I get done here in this bathroom._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he entered the bathroom.

Yuki then got all the orders and proceeded to head towards the table with a nervous look on her face. Then Tetsuya had gotten out of the bathroom to see that Yuki was near the table to serve out the orders and he rushed to get back to his seat. "Well here are your orders. I see that a bowl has no salt labeled on it. Who ordered the ramen with no salt?" Yuki asked while handing out the orders. Kushina raised her hand in response to Yuki's question and received the labeled bowl. After that is when Yuki notified another waitress who was approaching to clean up this table once everyone leaves since her shift was over and grabbed an empty chair nearby to sit on. "Yuki. The person you handed the labeled bowl to is my sister, Kushina. The person sitting right next to her is my brother-in-law, Minato." Tetsuya stated the introductions before Yuki sat down on the chair which was placed right next to Tetsuya.

"It is very nice to meet you, Yuki." Minato and Kushina said in unison. Yuki greeted them back the same message with a nervous tone in her voice. After the greetings were said is when everyone ate their perspective ramen orders. Halfway through eating his ramen is when Tetsuya had looked at the window and saw a little girl who was all alone appearing to not be in the best of shape. Upon further examination, Tetsuya saw that none of the bystanders wanted to help the girl out and this infuriated him. "What's wrong, Tetsuya?" Yuki asked as she noticed Tetsuya starting to tense up. This began to concern Kushina, Minato, and Yuki's family as well.

"I am going out to get some fresh air. No one touch my food because I am not finished with it yet." Tetsuya said with a tense feeling. Once he reached outside the noodle shop is when Tetsuya had approached to the girl who was still standing in the same spot. The little girl started to have a sad expression on her face glanced to see that Tetsuya was there. "Why are you out here all by yourself?" Tetsuya asked the girl. Suddenly, the girl responded with a sad tone saying, "*sniffles* Because I am hungry and have no money to afford for food. Also, I am all alone with no parents.". Then Tetsuya started to feel sadness deep down inside and he knew had to do something for the girl to make her happy. "How about you come and eat here at this noodle shop? I will pay for your bill and help you find somebody to take you in." Tetsuya blurted the first thing that came into his mind. The girl shook her head and showed happiness in her face.

In that moment, Tetsuya took the little girl by his hand and brought her into the noodle shop. The manager of the noodle shop appeared with a stunned look on his face looking at the little girl standing next to Tetsuya. "This little girl was standing out there all alone and is starving. So, can she have an order of ramen and put it on my bill. Also, is there any way you can help find her a good home." Tetsuya proceeded to tell the manager with a sympathetic look on his face. Then the manager responded back by saying, "Yes we will do all of that for you. I will take in the little girl so you do not have to worry about it." Tetsuya thanked the manager and paid for the little girl's bill immediately. Before heading back to his table, Tetsuya was embraced by the little girl and she thanked him for helping her out. That put a smile on Tetsuya which was followed by a tear in his eye.

Yuki, Yuki's family, Kushina, and Minato had surprised looks on their faces after witnessing the acts that Tetsuya did for that little girl. Once he got back to the table, Tetsuya with a smile on his face gave Yuki a big hug before taking his seat. "Sorry if I got mad a little earlier. It was that something bothered me and I needed to do the right thing." Tetsuya addressed his apology to everyone sitting at the table. "It's alright, we all had seen what you did just now and that was the nicest thing you have ever done for anybody. For that I am very proud of you, Tetsuya. You know." Kushina said with a big smile on her face. Then Tetsuya felt joy coming into his heart that his sister was very proud of him for doing an act of kindness and showing that he cared. Yuki felt the same way as Kushina did and looked on as Tetsuya finished the rest of his ramen.

Before they left the noodle shop, Tetsuya was approached by the manager who turned out to be Yuki's overall superior. "Oh so you are the person that Yuki sometimes talks about often. Well I am here to tell you that she is one of the best workers here at the noodle shop and learns things very quickly. You should be very proud of loving someone like her." Yuki's manager said to Tetsuya. This put a smile on Tetsuya's face and he proceeded to say, "Yes I am definitely proud about the efforts that Yuki is making. Her family is proud of her as well. Thank you for those kind and encouraging words. Have a good night."

With that Tetsuya, along with Kushina and Minato left to head back towards Tetsuya's apartment while Yuki left with her family back towards Sakagami Bakery. "Well that was a very nice dinner outing. Thank you, Tetsuya." Minato expressed his thanks on his and Kushina's behalf. Tetsuya proceeded to say to both Kushina and Minato once reaching the apartment, "Even though that was a short time you seen Yuki to not fully understand the kind of person she really is. No worries though, Yuki does not have work for the rest of your guys' visit and same thing applies to me.". "So where is it that you work at, Tetsuya?" Kushina asked out of curiosity. "*yawns* I will show you guys where my work is at tomorrow. It's getting late and we all had a long day. I am going off to bed." Tetsuya responded back with a tired look on his face. Minato and Kushina proceeded to say, "Ok, Tetsuya. Good night."


	19. Minato and Kushina's Visit: Day Two

19

Minato and Kushina's Visit: Day Two

Tetsuya got up at his usual time and seen that Minato and Kushina were still sleeping. " _They must have stayed up longer than I expected. Well I better start making breakfast then._ " Tetsuya thought to himself with a sigh and smile on his face before heading towards the kitchen. Then after picking out the main course for breakfast is when Tetsuya started up a burner to cook up the food. Halfway through cooking breakfast, Tetsuya heard noises coming from the guest bedroom signaling that Minato and Kushina were just waking up. "Good morning. Breakfast will be done here shortly." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face to Minato and Kushina who were walking to the dining room. "*yawns* Good morning, Tetsuya. We must have been tired from all that traveling we did yesterday." Kushina said with a gleeful tone. Once he served up breakfast, Tetsuya heard a knock on his door and looked to see who it was.

Upon opening the door, a familiar face appeared and it was none other than Ryou Fujibayashi. Ryou greeted Tetsuya which left him in a surprised look. "Oh did I catch you at the wrong time? Sorry about that, Tetsuya." Ryou asked in a calm look. "*sighs* Not really, Ryou. Do you want to come in and I will make a cup of tea?" Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face. Ryou nodded her head yes and she let herself in Tetsuya's apartment. However, this baffled Minato and Kushina a little while halfway through eating breakfast. "Hello I am Ryou Fujibayashi. I am a close friend of Tetsuya's. It is such an honor to meet both his sister and brother-in-law. He has briefly mentioned me about you guys." Ryou introduced herself to Minato and Kushina. Likewise, Minato and Kushina introduced themselves to Ryou who was sitting in the dining room waiting for her cup of tea. In that moment, Tetsuya suddenly realized that he forgot to eat breakfast and started to eat it once he handed Ryou her tea.

"So, what brings you here, Ryou?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. "Well me and Kyou wanted to visit by the area to see how everyone has been doing. *sighs* Kyou went to the Sakagami Bakery to visit with Yuki for a little while." Ryou responded with a nervous look on her face. Then Tetsuya proceeded to say towards Minato and Kushina who had confused looks on their faces, "Kyou is Ryou's twin sister. She in some ways reminds me of you, Kushina. No offense really." Kushina and Minato had cleaned up their breakfast dishes which put a sigh of relief on Tetsuya's face even though they were being generous. "I better get going, Tetsuya. You know how Kyou gets if I am away for a long period." Ryou said to Tetsuya before leaving his apartment. "Ryou, can you tell Yuki if you go to the bakery that I will be over there in a short while?" Tetsuya asked this request with a smile on his face. Ryou nodded her head yes and left Tetsuya's apartment in the direction towards Sakagami Bakery.

Meanwhile, Yuki was talking to Kyou and telling her how the relationship with Tetsuya has been going. Suddenly Kyou notices Ryou coming towards their direction and had a worried look on her face. "Sorry about that, Kyou. I had a cup of tea at Tetsuya's and got to meet his sister and brother-in-law. Oh by the way Yuki, I have a message from Tetsuya saying to tell you that he will be here in a little while." Ryou said while regaining her breath. Yuki had a smile on her face and went back inside to the bakery to get ready for Tetsuya's arrival. Meanwhile, Kyou had a puzzled look on her face at Ryou and said, "So, Tetsuya's sister and brother-in-law have come for a visit. I will bet that Tetsuya is happy about that since it was a long time coming. Anyways Ryou, I think we should head back home." "Tetsuya was very happy when I entered his apartment. Tetsuya's sister and brother-in-law were pretty nice." Ryou said with a smile on her face while walking back towards the Fujibayashi residence with Kyou.

"What do you have planned for us today, Tetsuya?" Minato asked out of curiosity sometime after Tetsuya finished eating his breakfast. Kushina was wondering the same thing and proceeded to get ready for the day. "I was thinking that I show you where Yuki lives, which is the same place that I work at. After that, I have no ideas for plans but it might come to me while at my place of work." Tetsuya responded with honesty in his voice. Minato then proceeded to get ready for the day as well. While washing his dishes, Tetsuya had come up with an idea but he started to get worried if it would work. After Tetsuya got ready for the day is when Tetsuya, Minato, and Kushina left his apartment.

During the walk to the bakery, Tetsuya was thinking immensely on how to put his idea into action until it dawned on to him. "What is it, Tetsuya?" Kushina asked out of concern. With a smile on his face Tetsuya responded back by saying, "I was thinking that you should spend time with Yuki today. So, you can get to know her a lot better Kushina. Do not worry, I will keep Minato in line for you." Tetsuya patted Minato on the head while he said his response to Kushina. After giving it some thought Kushina responded by saying, "That is a great idea, Tetsuya. You know." Once the conversation ended, they had reached the intersection that Sakagami Bakery was on.

Meanwhile, Yuki was figuring out what to wear for the day and started to wonder what the day has in store for her. In the middle of that thought Shia came into Yuki's room and said, "*sighs* I would get dressed quick if I were you. Because Tetsuya is approaching the bakery and you do not want to be embarrassed with what you got on right now, Yuki." "*squeals* I hope he likes this outfit that I am putting on. Tell him I will be out there in a minute to greet him." Yuki said in a state of panic. Yuki put on the nice outfit and started to get ready for the day.

"Is this the place you were talking about, Tetsuya?" Minato asked as him, Tetsuya, and Kushina were on the entranceway of the Sakagami Bakery. Tetsuya nodded his head yes and proceeded to enter the bakery to see if anyone was there. "Good morning, Tetsuya. I did not expect you to see here. I see you brought Kushina and Minato with you." Shiznae greeted Tetsuya with a smile on her face. Then Tetsuya signaled for Minato and Kushina to come inside the bakery. Suddenly, Shia came up to the front of the bakery and said, "Good morning. Yuki told me to tell you she will be out in a minute." "You know I am going back there to greet Yuki anyways. Besides, I must tell her something very important. Would you mind giving Kushina and Minato a tour of the bakery?" Tetsuya said with a grin on his face. Shia thought to herself and nodded yes to Tetsuya's question, " _Sorry, Yuki I tried to stall him. But on the flipside, me and Mom are going to show Kushina and Minato around the bakery. *sighs* I hope everything goes ok._ "

Yuki who had a towel on her head heard a knock coming from her bedroom door. Upon opening the door, Yuki got all nervous once seeing that Tetsuya was standing there. "Umm…good morning, Tetsuya. I did not expect you to be here until a little later. So, are your sister and brother-in-law here?" Yuki asked with a bashful look on her face. Tetsuya proceeded to give Yuki a kiss on the forehand and responded to Yuki's question saying, "Yes both Kushina and Minato are here. They are busy with a tour of the bakery given by your Mom and Shia. There was something that I wanted to ask you. By the way, that is a pretty outfit and I love it."

"Oh…why thank you, Tetsuya. What is it that you want to tell me?" Yuki said with a smile on her face. Tetsuya with a sigh under his breath proceeded to say, "I was wondering if it is alright with you that you can spend some time with my sister today. It will help you two to get to know each other better. Will you accept this offer for me?". After giving it some though, Yuki responded by saying, "Hmm…...ok I will spend time with Kushina today." Tetsuya with a smile on his face proceeded to hug Yuki and thanked her for accepting his request. "Here is a quick piece of advice about Kushina: she likes to talk a lot. You do not have to worry about running out of ideas to say ok Yuki." Tetsuya said before heading out of Yuki's bedroom. "Ok I will be ready in a few minutes so tell your sister that for me." Yuki said in a gleeful tone. Tetsuya winked at Yuki in confirmation that he got her message to tell Kushina.

"So how did the tour of the bakery turn out?" Tetsuya asked with a smile on his face once he got to the front of the bakery. "It was a great tour. Thank you for asking that, Tetsuya." Minato responded back. In that moment, is when Tetsuya with a smile on his face relayed Yuki's message to Kushina. Then Yuki had approached to where Tetsuya was standing and showed the expression that she was ready to head out. Kushina then said her goodbyes to Minato before she headed out with Yuki and reminded him not to get into any trouble with Tetsuya. Not even nearing the intersection on the right-hand side of the bakery is when Yuki and Kushina were stopped by Tetsuya. "Please be careful out there today. Come back safely." Tetsuya addressed his goodbye message to Yuki and Kushina. Then Yuki and Kushina addressed their goodbyes to Tetsuya which they assured that they will return safely.

Suddenly, Yuki felt concerned about the previous night's events and had a gloomy look on her face. Kushina had noticed something was wrong with Yuki and proceeded to say with a concerned look, "What's the matter?". Nearing the shopping district is when Yuki responded to Kushina's question by saying, "Oh it was something about what happened last night.". "You mean when Tetsuya got up with an upset look on his face halfway through dinner." Kushina said about what Yuki was referring to. "Yes, Kushina. I had never seen Tetsuya so upset like that before helping the little girl. It started to bother me a little and I did not want to tell him about this when he came into my room earlier." Yuki said with a concerning look still on her face.

"I see what you mean Yuki. When I had noticed that Tetsuya felt upset last night because it retriggered bad memories which he had while he was alive, you know." Kushina said with a calm tone in her voice. Yuki was confused and proceeded to say, "What do you mean by bad memories, Kushina?". Kushina had a pondering look and then proceeded to respond to Yuki's question by saying, "*sighs* Well me and Tetsuya had a very rough childhood. When I was seven years old and he was four years old we were taken away from our home to be sent to another village never seeing our parents again. Tetsuya was sad about the situation and that was when I made the resolve to act like a mother figure towards him. Then there was a time that I had heard from other people that Tetsuya had gone into a severe depressed state and left the other village." Yuki wanted to more into how these bad memories are correlated with the previous night's situation.

In that moment, Kushina needed to take a quick breather and asked Yuki if there were any places to eat around the shopping district. Then Yuki had pointed to the barbecue place where she and Tetsuya ate on their first date. Once they went inside the barbecue place and taking their seats is when Yuki proceeded to say, "What was the time that you were referring to earlier, Kushina?". "*sighs* The time that I was referring to earlier is the day that Minato and I entered the Pure Land. You see there was somebody that wanted something which was sealed inside me and posed as a powerful weapon. Well that person managed to extract it out of me when I was at my weakest state. Just before the extraction happened, I had given birth to a baby boy whom Minato had named Naruto. To prevent the weapon from killing my newborn child, me and Minato had sacrificed our lives to save the village which Tetsuya witnessed the entire thing." Kushina responded with the truth while drinking a cup of water. Yuki was saddened to hear the story and then had a shocked look on her face. "So, Tetsuya never told you that he was an uncle?" Kushina asked based on Yuki's facial reaction. "No he never told me that he had a nephew. Therefore, Tetsuya had acted upset about the little girl being there all alone last night." Yuki responded with a calm look on her face. Kushina had nodded her head in a yes fashion and further told Yuki that Naruto was still in the world of the living.

Meanwhile, Tetsuya was showing Minato the area surrounding the academy that he went too. "There is something I wanted to ask you which did not cross my mind while I was visiting you and Kushina back in the Pure Land Leaf Village. Have you seen how good Naruto is doing?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity towards Minato. "Well he had gotten married a few months ago. Kushina and I saw the whole thing which we were very proud of him." Minato responded with a stern voice. Suddenly, Tetsuya got a sad look on his face and started to rush back to his apartment. "Tetsuya, wait a minute." Minato said while trying to chase down Tetsuya. " _*sniffles* I failed as a loving uncle. Dang it. I wish I could have seen that wedding. Now I honestly don't know what to do anymore._ " Tetsuya thought to himself locked in his apartment crying endlessly about what Minato told him.

Suddenly, Minato had walked to the front of the Sakagami Bakery to wait for Kushina and Yuki's return. Shia who was standing outside noticed Minato and said to him, "Why the long face and what happened to Tetsuya? I thought he was giving you a tour of an area he did not have the chance to do yesterday." "*sighs* Well everything went fine until we passed the academy he went to and he started to ask me a private question. After I answered his question suddenly he got depressed and stormed back to his apartment crying profusely locking his door. I am going to be in serious trouble with Kushina once she finds out what happened to Tetsuya." Minato responded with an honest look on his face. Shia then remembered what her mother told her about Tetsuya's concern and went back inside the bakery taking Minato with her.

Walking back towards the bakery is when Yuki and Kushina got to know each other better with smiles on their faces. "I had a fun filled day getting to know you a lot better, Yuki. You know." Kushina said with an exciting look on her face. Yuki agreed to Kushina's statement with a smile on her face. However, once they reached the bakery an unusual feeling had struck the place. Then Yuki had seen Shia acting very strangely behind the counter while Minato was gazing through the pastries. "What is going on and why are you acting very strangely, Shia? This is not like you." Yuki asked out of concern. "Well umm…. I don't know what you are talking about. Well we are fine here I swear, Yuki." Shia responded with hesitation in her voice. "Okay then. Where is Tetsuya because I want to tell him how my day went with Kushina?" Yuki said with curiosity. Suddenly the room went completely silent and this caused immediate concerns for both Yuki and Kushina.

Before anyone in the room can give an answer to Yuki's question, a familiar face rushed inside the bakery with a panicked look on her face. "What is it Ryou?" Yuki asking Ryou once she entered in the door. "Well I went to drop something off at Tetsuya's apartment and it was locked. All I could hear is non-stop crying and the uttering of the words, "I don't know what to do anymore" on the other end of the door." Ryou stated with the panicked look still on her face. Suddenly, Kushina started to grasp her fists and began feeling angry. This caused everyone in the room to run outside of the bakery. Then big giant footsteps began to creep outside of the bakery into the playground where Minato, Yuki, Ryou, and Shia were standing.

These footsteps could be heard from blocks away even including Tetsuya's apartment and Tetsuya stopped his crying to see what was going on from his window. " _Wait a minute those loud footsteps are coming from the direction of the bakery. Oh, no this is not good._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while he was putting on his shoes to leave his apartment for the bakery. Tetsuya locked up his apartment and rushed as fast as he could to the Sakagami Bakery before it is too late.

Kushina shouted to Minato saying, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY LITTLE BROTHER, MINATO!?" That shouting caused Yuki, Shia, and Ryou to panic and forced them to hide behind the bench. "Kushina…...I can explain." Minato said in a panicked tone. Before Kushina could hit Minato to get an answer out of him, Tetsuya who had just made it to the playground tackled Kushina down to the ground. "Tetsuya!?" Minato, Yuki, Shia, and Ryou said with shocked looks on their faces to see Tetsuya there on the playground.

While having Kushina still pinned to the ground Tetsuya with tears starting to flow down on his face proceeded to say, "*sobs* Kushina, you promised me that you would not get into one of your rampages while you were here. Worst of all you made everyone around here upset because of your actions. Is this the kind of story that you and Minato would tell your son once he comes up here to the Pure Land?". In that moment, Kushina felt sorry for hurting everyone's feelings especially Tetsuya's. Tetsuya with the tears out of his eyes continued by saying, "It is not Minato's fault in what happened to me but rather my own fault. If you were to take out anyone with a hit, then it should be me, Kushina. I had asked Minato a question earlier and I got sad was because of my reaction to it is all. With that being said I should be the one to apologize for causing you to act out." Kushina then accepted Tetsuya's apology by giving him a hug and proceeded to apologize towards everyone surrounding them as well.

In that moment, Yuki walked up to Tetsuya and asked if she could have a private talk with him by the swing area of the playground. "Sorry for what happened back there, Yuki. I did not mean for you to witness all of that." Tetsuya said once he sat on the nearby swing. "It's ok, Tetsuya. Kushina told me today you have a nephew. How come you never told me you had a nephew?" Yuki said with a curious look on her face. "I thought that you would not be interested in me if I had told you about my nephew the first time I met you." Tetsuya said with a frown look on his face. Yuki with a reassuring smile on her proceeded to say, "I would still be interested in you despite the many things that we keep secret from each other. That shows how much I love you, Tetsuya Uzumaki. Besides it is amazing that you have a nephew." Tetsuya had a smile on his face and he proceeded to hold Yuki's hand. Ryou left the playground to head back home, Shia with a smile on her face headed back to the bakery, and both Kushina and Minato standing a few feet away had smiles on their faces to see how happy Tetsuya was.

Suddenly, Tetsuya's stomach started to growl which caused to get the attention of Yuki. "Sounds like you are hungry, Tetsuya. Don't worry you can have some of my leftover lunch which is from the barbecue place that we went on our first date. Kushina did the same thing for Minato as well because we did not want you guys going the rest of the day without having something to eat." Yuki said in response to hearing Tetsuya's stomach growl. "That was very sweet of you, Yuki. If you want to you can stop by the apartment later. After I grab the leftovers me, Kushina, and Minato are heading back to the apartment. I am saying this is because I do not want your mother or father get concerned about you being gone most of the day. See you later, I love you." Tetsuya said before giving Yuki a kiss on her forehand and heading back to his apartment.

On the way, back to Tetsuya's apartment, Kushina started to get a little chuckle. "Hmm…if you think that was not a sweet kiss I gave Yuki back there. Then I dare you to give a good kiss on Minato. I'll try not to laugh like you just did Kushina." Tetsuya in a daring voice once they entered in his apartment. Minato was flabbergasted by the idea but he had to go along with it or else there was trouble going to be paid from Kushina. Tetsuya while heating up dinner was mind blown on how good Kushina and Minato's kiss was which he thought to himself, " _Wow that is really good. Maybe I should one-up it with Yuki to show them._ "

Halfway eating through dinner is when Tetsuya heard a knock coming from his door and he was surprised to see Yuki was standing there. "Well that was quick, Yuki. You caught me in the middle of eating dinner." Tetsuya said once Yuki entered his apartment. Kushina and Minato greeted Yuki once she entered the apartment. "Sorry about that, Tetsuya. It is that both Mom and Dad let me come here since they had nothing else for me to do after eating dinner." Yuki said with a smile on her face. After taking the last bite of his dinner Tetsuya proceeded to say, "That's alright, Yuki. How was your fun day with Kushina today?". Yuki tried to come up with a nice way to answer Tetsuya's question. "Well I had a great time with Kushina today. Other than looking around the shopping district, I got to hear some embarrassing stories about you." Yuki responded with a smile on her face. This lead Tetsuya to stare at Kushina and said to her, "Kushina, how many of the stories involving you or Minato embarrassing me did you tell Yuki? Just out of curiosity." "I told her four stories, Tetsuya. You know." Kushina responded with a nervous look on her face.

"At least that was payback for putting me on speaker phone, Tetsuya. Hee-hee." Yuki said with a chuckle. Tetsuya felt nervous when Yuki said that. "Here is a story in which I think you might like, Yuki. Ah, I remember it like it was only yesterday just about. It was an ordinary day and I sat around waiting for Minato to get done with training until a student of his thought of a plan to surprise his classmate's birthday present." Tetsuya said a part of the story before being interrupted by Kushina. "Oh you are using that story, Tetsuya. Very clever, you know." Kushina stated with a clever smile on her face. "Anyways, everything was going smoothly until I learned that the surprise was forgetting the person's birthday. Then comes my favorite part of this tale which was when Kushina here found out about the plan well she decided to teach Minato and the participants involved a little lesson shall we say. In the end, sometime after Kushina's lesson in the story eventually embarrassed Minato to the point that he got nightmares for a while. Yuki, the moral of this story is to never mess with Kushina unless you want to get embarrassed big time." Tetsuya said in finishing his story with a smile on his face. Minato got scared because Tetsuya used that story to tell while Kushina chuckled a little out of it.

"That was a very nice story and all. *yawns* I better get going home and straight to bed. So, see you guys tomorrow." Yuki said with a drowsy voice and addressed her good byes to Kushina and Minato. Then Tetsuya escorted Yuki out of his apartment and stood there trying to say something before she took a few steps away from the apartment door. "I will see you tomorrow around midday or so. Good night, Yuki. I love you." Tetsuya addressed his goodbyes to Yuki. "See you tomorrow, Tetsuya. Good night. I love you too." Yuki said her goodbye not before giving Tetsuya a hug and a kiss.

Tetsuya then noticed upon entering his apartment that both Kushina and Minato were sleeping on the couch so he put a blanket on top of them before heading off to bed with a smile on his face. "*yawns* Good night, Tetsuya. I had fun today, you know." Kushina said with a drowsy voice before snoozing off. "Good night, Sis. I love you." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face. Before snoozing off Tetsuya had thought to himself, " _Hmm…after today's events I realize how very supportive Yuki is about anything even when I am at my lowest. This has me wanting to make the next big decision for our relationship. I will ask Kushina first thing in the morning to see if my decision is the right one at this stage in me and Yuki's relationship._ "


	20. Minato and Kushina's Visit: Day Three

20

Minato and Kushina's Visit: Day Three

Tetsuya got up and noticed that both Kushina and Minato were already up in the dining room. "Good morning, Tetsuya. You must have been real tired since we got up before you did which is unusual." Minato greeted Tetsuya who was entering his kitchen. Once Tetsuya opened the door to his refrigerator, he was shocked to find that there was barely any food in there. "I had looked in the refrigerator earlier, Tetsuya. You see I was planning on making my famous special today and there was nothing I could find to make the ingredients, you know. Is there a grocery store or food market nearby that has the ingredients I am looking for to make my special?" Kushina stated once she noticed Tetsuya's facial expression.

Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face and proceeded to say, "Of course, Kushina. There is a grocery store just about five blocks south of here that has everything you need. Speaking of which I needed to do some grocery shopping anyways. Do you want to come with me to the grocery store?". "Sure, Tetsuya. What about Minato?" Kushina said with a concerned look on her face. "Minato would you mind staying here while we go out grocery shopping? It should not take us long." Tetsuya asked Minato out of curiosity. Minato nodded his head yes and promised he would not do anything crazy while Tetsuya and Kushina were gone. After Kushina got ready is when she and Tetsuya headed to the grocery store.

"Kushina, I was wanting to get your advice on something." Tetsuya asked Kushina while they were nearing towards the grocery store. Kushina with a smile on her face said, "Anything for my little brother. So, what is it that you want to ask me?" It took a while for Tetsuya to find the right words into answering Kushina's question. "I was thinking on asking Yuki if she wanted to live with me. But I don't know if it is too soon in the relationship to consider that option. However, at the same time I am starting to get concerned that Yuki's family especially her sister, Shia would be saddened if Yuki agrees to live with me. Just like how I was when you moved in with Minato, I had felt a little upset at first but after a while I realized that you were happy with living in the same house as Minato." Tetsuya stated with a little hesitation in his voice. "Of course I remember that, you know. So, basically you are feeling doubtful about asking Yuki to moving in with you?" Kushina stated her analysis of Tetsuya's situation.

Tetsuya responded back by saying, "That's right, Kushina. What should I do?". "Hmm…I think that it is up to you whether to tell Yuki about considering her to move in with you. All I can say is do what your heart tells you, Tetsuya. That is the advice I can give you for now, you know." Kushina responded back with a calm look on her face. After hearing Kushina's advice, Tetsuya had complete resolve and his heart told him to go through with the plan not before thanking Kushina. In that moment, Tetsuya and Kushina had entered the grocery store to proceed getting the things they need from there.

While wandering through the aisles, Tetsuya noticed that Yosaki was in there shopping as well. "Oh hello, Tetsuya. What are you doing here?" Yosaki asked out of curiosity. "I was grabbing a few things that I needed for home. Also, my sister wanted to come here in needing to get ingredients for a special recipe that she wanted to make today. So, what brings you here?" Tetsuya responded back with a curious look on his face. "Well I needed to get somethings for the bakery and that is about it, Tetsuya." Yosaki answered with a stern look on his face. Tetsuya then proceeded to find where Kushina was to see if she had gotten everything she needed.

"What took you so long, Tetsuya?" Kushina asked out of concern as she seen Tetsuya catching up to her at the checkout aisle with groceries at hand. "*sighs* Sorry about that, Kushina. I had bumped into Yuki's father and we were talking for a little while. So, I see you found everything you needed to make your special dish." Tetsuya responded with a nervous smile on his face. Kushina nodded her head yes and both her and Tetsuya left the grocery store in the direction of Tetsuya's apartment.

"Thank you for tagging along with me to the grocery store, Kushina." Tetsuya said while carrying a few bags of groceries in his hand. "No problem, Tetsuya. It was nice that we got to have some brother-sister bonding time. Something that has not happened since before I entered the Pure Land. We should do this again sometime, you know." Kushina responded back to Tetsuya's thank you message with a smile on her face. Tetsuya was surprised to hear that coming from Kushina and proceeded to say once they reached the front door to his apartment, "I agree with that, Kushina. Maybe at least one more time before you and Minato head back home. At least we made it back before midday, you know." Kushina was happy to hear that Tetsuya wanted to have more sibling bonding time.

"We are back, Minato. Would you mind helping Tetsuya unloading these groceries?" Kushina asked Minato once she got into Tetsuya's apartment. Minato proceeded to get up and helped Tetsuya unload the groceries, with Tetsuya showing Minato where certain things went and told him to leave out the things that Kushina bought. "So, what did you do while we were gone, Minato?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. "Well I had cleaned up the entire kitchen for you, Tetsuya. In case if you did not notice the nice sparkle and clean smell." Minato responded with an honest look on his face. Tetsuya was beyond surprised and proceeded to thank Minato for cleaning his kitchen.

Meanwhile, Yosaki entered the bakery with the things he bought from the grocery store. After placing the items on the counter is when Yosaki heard the noise of the kitchen sink running and he went to check it out. By the time Yosaki got to the kitchen he seen Shiznae standing by the sink. "Oh you're back from the store. I was in the middle of preparing lunch and both Yuki and Shia are in the dining room if you are looking for them. So, what did you do with the groceries?" Shiznae stated with a grin on her face. "I put them on the front counter. I will bring it up here and put away in the fridge for you, Shiznae." Yosaki responded with a calm look on his face. With that Yosaki brought the groceries and placed them in the refrigerator neatly, then he proceeded to sit in the dining room waiting for lunch to be served.

"What took you so long to come back from the store, Dad?" Yuki asked in a stern tone. "*sighs* I had bumped into Tetsuya at the store and we talked for a little while. He was in there getting groceries for him and his sister. So, I don't think he will be stopping by today." Yosaki responded with a honest look on his face. Suddenly, Yuki started to feel upset from what she had just heard. Shia tried to calm Yuki down preventing her from getting angry at Yosaki. Shiznae who had brought lunch onto the dining room table noticed the tense feeling surrounding the table.

"Yuki, what's wrong? You are not acting like your normal self." Shiznae asked out of concern. Then Yuki looked at Shiznae and proceeded to say with a sad look on her face, "Mom, it is that I am upset over the fact that Tetsuya would not stop by here today. I just did not want to believe what Dad said. However, I need to respect Tetsuya's wishes wanting to spend time with his sister and brother-in-law for most the day." Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia were shocked to hear Yuki saying that response. Halfway through eating lunch is when Yuki apologized for her behavior earlier.

Shia with a curious look proceeded to say, "So, Yuki are you going by Tetsuya's today?". Yuki feeling a lot better responded back by saying, "Of course, I am planning on heading over there after help cleaning up the lunch dishes. If that is ok with Mom and Dad." Yosaki and Shiznae nodded their heads of approval in Yuki's request. Then Yuki proceeded to clean up the lunch dishes and got ready to head to Tetsuya's apartment.

Meanwhile, Tetsuya was sitting on a chair placed in the balcony outside his apartment and brought out another chair for Minato to sit right beside him. "I figured that with us sitting out here would not bother Kushina while she is preparing her special." Tetsuya said while reclining on his chair. Minato with a sigh under his breath proceeded to recline back on his chair as well. "Kushina told me about the situation you are facing with right now. I can understand why you have your doubts about going through with it. Tetsuya, do not let your doubts consume you." Minato said in a reassuring voice. Tetsuya with a calm look proceeded to say, "I will not let my doubts consume me, Minato. Your advice believes it or not is like what Kushina said to me earlier today." The smell of Kushina making her special had reached outside of the apartment which made both Tetsuya and Minato's mouths water.

Partway through preparing the Kushina Special is when a knock came from the front door of the apartment. Kushina had checked to see who it was and opened the door upon recognizing the face. "Oh hello, Kushina. Mind if I come in?" Yuki asked with a smile on her face. Kushina nodded her head yes and let Yuki inside the apartment. "So where is Tetsuya? By the way it smells good in here." Yuki said with the scent of Kushina's special reached Yuki's senses. "Why thank you, Yuki. If you are looking for Tetsuya, he is sitting on the balcony with Minato." Kushina replied with a nervous look on her face.

Yuki then walked towards the balcony and stared at Tetsuya and Minato. "Oh hello, Yuki. You just came in time because Tetsuya started to take a snooze just a little while ago. I will go see if Kushina needs any help. Here you can sit in this chair." Minato said quietly once he seen Yuki standing there. " _*sighs* You must have had an interesting day so far, Tetsuya. I will try to be quiet until you wake up, my love._ " Yuki thought to herself smiling as she sat in the chair right next to Tetsuya. Kushina peering through the window was amazed at the sight she was seeing and noticed that Minato was standing right to next her. "Isn't that a cute sight, Minato?" Kushina asked based on the observance. Minato agreed to Kushina's statement and helped in any way he can.

Then Tetsuya had some drool coming from the side of his mouth which indicated how long he had been snoozing off for. This caused Yuki to worry and found a clean napkin on a nearby table wiping off the drool on Tetsuya's face. That had no effect on waking up Tetsuya so Yuki had to resort to holding his hand which was stretched out on the other chair. A few seconds passed by and Tetsuya began to wake up from his nap. "Hello there, sleepyhead. Hee-hee." Yuki said with a chuckle in her voice. "Oh, hello Yuki. *yawns*how long have you been sitting there for?" Tetsuya asked in a drowsy voice. "Not even a few minutes. Kushina had let me into your apartment and Minato went inside to help her out. That is why I waited out here for you to get up." Yuki responded with honesty in her voice. Afterwards both Tetsuya and Yuki left the balcony to head back inside his apartment.

"Hmm…. it's starting to smell very good in here, Kushina." Tetsuya stated as he noticed the aroma of Kushina's cooking has spread to his apartment. Kushina had a smile on her face when she heard that while in the kitchen still preparing her dish. Yuki had a wondrous look on her face and said, "What is it that is making your apartment smell good, Tetsuya? I noticed it when I came in here." Tetsuya with a smile on his face responded back by saying, "Yuki, the thing that you are smelling is my sister's cooking." That led Yuki to asking what was Kushina cooking. "It is my famous dish: the Kushina Special. You know." Kushina responded with excitement in her voice. In that moment, Yuki's mouth started to water from the savoring smell. "Yuki, do you have a minute? Because there is something I want to talk you about." Tetsuya said that to get Yuki's attention. Yuki nodded her head yes and they proceeded to sit at the dining room table.

"What is it that you want to tell me, Tetsuya?" Yuki said with a curious look on her face. Tetsuya was nervous for the response that he was going to give her but realized he needed to persevere through like the advice Minato and Kushina had given him earlier. "I was thinking since our relationship has blossomed in the past couple of months that there is something I want to consider with you. That had me wondering how would you feel if I asked you to come here and live with me?" Tetsuya said with no hesitation in his voice. Yuki was mind blown when she heard that and gave it some consideration. "Yes I would like to live with you, Tetsuya. However, I am worried that my family won't take this very lightly." Yuki responded with a worried look on her face. Tetsuya with reassurance in his voice proceeded to say, "Don't worry, Yuki. I will talk it over with them once I escort you home later. Besides this won't take place until after Minato and Kushina head back home in a couple of days." Yuki felt calm again after hearing that statement.

Kushina and Minato had overheard the conversation which had put smiles on their faces about the situation. Suddenly, Yuki's stomach started to growl. "It won't be long now until dinner is done, Yuki. To think of it my stomach had acted up as well." Tetsuya said with a nervous look on his face. Minato had come by the dining room table bringing out four plates and told both Tetsuya and Yuki to wash up for dinner. Once, Tetsuya and Yuki made it back to the dining room table is when Kushina placed the platter in the center of the table. "Here is the Kushina Special. I hope you guys enjoy it." Kushina said once she found a spot to sit at.

Tetsuya had taken a bite of the Kushina Special before he looked at Yuki who took a small bite from her plate. "So what do you think of the dish, Yuki?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. Yuki after swallowing the food she had in her mouth proceeded to say, "This is very good. I have never tasted amazing food like this until now." Suddenly, Kushina's facial expression was super happy to hear that and thanked Yuki for the compliment. "You are one of the few people who has ever complimented nicely on Kushina's cooking. That was very sweet of you to say those words, Yuki." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face after finishing up his plate. With that everyone finished up their dinner while Tetsuya and Minato volunteered to do the clean-up.

"I'll be back here in a while. So, don't do anything crazy while I take Yuki home." Tetsuya said in a serious tone to Minato and Kushina before he started to escort Yuki out of his apartment. "Don't worry about it, Tetsuya." Minato said in a reassuring voice. Tetsuya with a smile on his face walked Yuki out of his apartment and followed her to the Sakagami Bakery.

Upon arriving at the Sakagami Bakery is when Tetsuya and Yuki noticed that Yosaki was standing there expecting their arrival. Yuki entered the bakery so she can give Tetsuya and Yosaki sometime to talk. "Yosaki, do you have a minute where we can talk in your dining room?" Tetsuya asked without hesitation. "Sure. Do you want Shiznae and Shia to be in on this talk as well?" Yosaki responded like he knew Tetsuya was up to something. Tetsuya nodded his head in a yes fashion. So, Yosaki summoned his family into the dining room while Tetsuya was getting ready to take a seat.

Yuki started to get nervous in anticipation of her family's reaction from what Tetsuya was about to say to them. Then Tetsuya proceeded to tell Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia about how he wants Yuki to live with him alongside the fact that Yuki had agreed to this. Shiznae gave a smile on her face as a part of her reaction to hearing this announcement. "Alright since we know you very well enough to trust Yuki's safety in your hands. However, if anything ever bad happens to her then I'll take her right back from you." Yosaki said in a serious tone. Tetsuya assured Yosaki that he will not harm Yuki in anyway. On the other hand, Shia was shocked to hear the news and started to bolt towards her room crying. "Shia!? I knew this was going to happen, Tetsuya. Maybe I should go in there and cheer her up." Yuki said with a grave concern on her face. Tetsuya then got up and said, "Let me take care of it, Yuki. Because I was the same way when Kushina decided to live with Minato. So, I know exactly how Shia feels right now." Then Yuki, Yosaki, and Shiznae agreed to let Tetsuya go to comfort Shia.

Tetsuya knocked on Shia's door gently as he could. "*sniffles* Go away, I don't want to be bothered right now." Shia said in an upset tone. "Can you please let me in, Shia? Talking about what is bothering you will make you feel better." Tetsuya asked in a reassuring voice. Shia had second thoughts before considering opening her bedroom door for Tetsuya to come in. "*sniffles* Why do you want to take Yuki away from me?" Shia asked Tetsuya once he entered her bedroom.

"Listen to me, Shia. I understand what you are feeling right now. Because I felt the same way you are right now when I found out that my sister wanted to live with my brother-in-law. I had gotten upset for a couple of days. Do you want to know how I overcame that feeling?" Tetsuya responded with clarity in his voice. Shia with her tears starting to go away proceeded to say, "Sure, Tetsuya.". "I had overcome this feeling when my sister said something that I will not forget. She told me that no matter how far apart we are the only thing that won't be taken away is our bond. Basically, what I am trying to tell you is that the special bond which you and Yuki will never go away despite where she is living at. Don't worry, I will have Yuki stop by here to visit you or if you want to come visit us at my apartment at any time, Shia." Tetsuya said in a assuring voice. Suddenly, Shia felt happy and embraced Tetsuya in her arms.

So, Tetsuya and Shia went back to the dining room where everyone was still standing there. Then Tetsuya told Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia that his plan with Yuki living with him won't happen until Minato and Kushina head home. In that moment, Tetsuya proceeded to head back towards his apartment and Yuki stopped him once he got outside of the bakery. Yuki then kissed Tetsuya and proceeded to say, "Thank you for comforting, Shia. That made feel a lot better with everyone on board.". "No problem, Yuki. I told Shia that once you move in with me that she can come visit us and the other way around. Anyways, I better get going and good night. I love you." Tetsuya said as he was heading towards his apartment. Yuki responded back with, "I love you too and good night, Tetsuya."

Once Tetsuya entered his apartment, he saw that Minato and Kushina had placed a cup of tea just for him lying on the dining room table. "How did it go, Tetsuya?" Minato asked out of curiosity. "It turned out to be ok. Yuki's family took the news alright expect for the fact that I had to reassure Shia that everything was going to be alright. Other than that, I am glad that Yuki agrees to living with me." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face after sipping down his cup of tea. Kushina then with a smile on her face proceeded to say, "I am very happy that your decision was approved, little brother. *sniffles* Just from observing past these couple of days the interactions you have with Yuki. I strongly believe that she is the perfect person for you, you know." Then Tetsuya embraced Kushina and proceeded to say, "Thank you, Kushina. *sniffles*That means a lot to me especially coming from the person who basically raised me since the time we were young children." Then Tetsuya, Kushina, and Minato all went to sleep since it was getting late.


	21. Minato and Kushina's Visit: Day Four

21

Minato and Kushina's Visit: Day Four

Tetsuya had gotten up earlier than usual and not even reaching the living room he heard a familiar sound coming outside his front door. Then he opened the door to see a little boar standing there and it kept saying, "Puhi, Puhi". Suddenly Tetsuya remembered seeing that boar before and thought to himself, " _Wait a minute isn't that Botan, Kyou's pet boar. What is she doing here?_ ". Botan started to tremble while still repeating the same sound. In that moment, Tetsuya knew something was very wrong because he knows that Kyou would not let Botan out of her sight. "Did something happen to either Ryou or Kyou?" Tetsuya asked Botan with a concern look on his face. Botan shook her head saying yes to Tetsuya's question. Out of desperation, Tetsuya wrote a note for Minato and Kushina stating that he is heading out for a while and to meet him at Sakagami Bakery in case if he did not return in which he placed it on the dining room table. "Can you lead me to where Kyou and Ryou are, Botan?" Tetsuya asked with more concern on his face. Botan shook her head in a yes fashion and got on Tetsuya's lap. Then Tetsuya and Botan left his apartment in pursuit of finding the Fujibayashi sisters.

Not even a few blocks west of Tetsuya's apartment is when Botan sensed that Kyou's scent was nearby. Upon reaching another block is when Tetsuya noticed that one of the Fujibayashi sisters was laying down unconscious while the other was crying a few feet way. With further examination, that was the moment Tetsuya seen that Kyou was the one unconscious and Ryou was the one crying. "Oh my god, Ryou. What happened?" Tetsuya said with a shocked look on his face. Before answering Tetsuya's question, Ryou asked if Botan was the one that lead Tetsuya to their location and why did he come out here all by himself. "Yes, Botan was the one that lead me here." Tetsuya responded with clarity in his voice. "Ok what happened was that me and Kyou were going to the shopping district. Suddenly, Kyou started to feel light-headed and collapsed right here. *sobs* I don't know what to do, Tetsuya." Ryou responded to Tetsuya's question with tears in her eyes. Tetsuya then came up with a solution and said, "I think we should take Kyou to the hospital that is a few blocks north of here and see what is going on. However, as for Botan maybe we should have her go by Yuki's house and stay there until we get this situation figured out. I have a bracelet that Yuki gave me a while which still has strong traces of her scent on it. Botan, can you find your way to the Sakagami Bakery." Botan then shook her head in a yes fashion and left for the Sakagami Bakery.

Ryou then agreed to Tetsuya's solution and they both headed towards the hospital while carrying Kyou on their shoulders. Once they reached the hospital, Tetsuya went up to the front desk and explained to the receptionist what happened with Kyou. The receptionist proceeded to tell the nearby doctor to put Kyou and a hospital bed which they wheeled her to a room that was available. " _I hope there is nothing seriously wrong with Kyou. Because this the first time I have ever seen this happen with her out of all people. Now I am wondering if Botan had made it to Yuki's yet. Better call over there to make sure and tell them what is going on._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while pulling out his cell phone.

Meanwhile, Minato and Kushina woke up which they noticed the note that Tetsuya had laid on the table. "Why does he want us to head over to the bakery, you know?" Kushina asked with a worried look on her face. "I don't know, Kushina. But before we head over there we have to eat some breakfast and lock up his apartment." Minato said in a stern voice. Then after eating a quick breakfast is when both Minato and Kushina left for the Sakagami Bakery. Once they arrived at the Sakagami Bakery is when Minato and Kushina noticed Yuki was sweeping outside and Yuki's parents were organizing bread around the store. In that moment, Botan had made it the bakery and started to tremble. Having a sorry look on her face, Yuki decided to bring Botan inside while Minato and Kushina followed them.

Yosaki then greeted Minato and Kushina while Shiznae was staring at Botan and wondered why a boar is doing inside the bakery. Suddenly the bakery's phone started to ring and Shiznae picked it up. "Hello, Tetsuya. You sound very worried." Shiznae spoke on the phone very discreetly. Then Tetsuya on his end of the phone proceeded to tell Shiznae about the entire situation with Kyou and stated that he will be at the bakery, also he told Shiznae for everyone at the bakery to care of Botan until his arrival. He also further explained the things that Botan likes to do which he based from observations from Botan's interaction with Kyou. Shiznae had a shocked and sad look on her face proceeded to say, "We sure will take of care of Botan until you get here, Tetsuya. I hope everything goes ok over there and we will keep your friend in our thoughts.". "Ok thank you, Shiznae. Good bye." Tetsuya said while getting ready to hang up his cell phone.

Then Tetsuya proceeded to tell Ryou that Botan made it to the bakery safely and that everyone in the bakery is keeping Kyou in their thoughts. "That is very nice of them to do such a thing, Tetsuya. I hope the doctor comes by and tell us what is wrong with Kyou." Ryou said with a concern look on her face. Before Tetsuya could say anything, a doctor walked up toward their direction. "Doctor, how is Kyou doing?" Ryou asked the doctor with the concern look still on her face. Then the doctor responded with a calm look and said, "Well it appears that your sister had a case of dehydration and she has regained consciousness after we put some fluids in her system. However, we are going have to keep her overnight for further observation.". "Thank you, doctor. Is it alright that we can see her now?" Tetsuya said with a calm look on his face. The doctor then nodded his head in a yes fashion and showed Tetsuya and Ryou the room where Kyou was staying in.

Upon entering the room is when Tetsuya and Ryou looked at Kyou who was still a little dazed from regaining consciousness. "I'm glad that you are alright, Kyou." Ryou said while holding Kyou's hand with tears in her eyes. Then Kyou looked at Tetsuya and said, "What happened to Botan?". "Botan is at Yuki's house. Yuki's family is taking good care of Botan while you are here recuperating, Kyou. You have nothing to worry about." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face. This put a smile on Kyou's face that Botan is being taken care of.

Then Kyou looked at Ryou and proceeded to say, "I'm sorry if I worried you, Ryou. This hospital doesn't allow visitors to stay overnight." That saddened Ryou a little but understood what Kyou was saying. "Don't worry about it. I will try to ask Yuki if it is okay for Ryou to stay the night at her house. Just get some rest ok, Kyou. We will stop by tomorrow to see how you are doing." Tetsuya said with reassurance in his voice. "I hope you get to feeling better, sis. See you tomorrow." Ryou said with a smile on her face while she and Tetsuya were getting ready to leave the hospital. Kyou then waived goodbye to both Tetsuya and Ryou as they left the hospital room.

"So, Ryou is there any place you want to eat for lunch? Whatever you choose we can eat it on the way to the bakery." Tetsuya said with a curious look on his face. Ryou had given it some though and said, "Well there is that vendor a couple of blocks near the bakery that sells pork cutlets. Is that ok with you, Tetsuya?". Tetsuya nodded his head yes and both him and Ryou walked in the direction to that vendor so they can get lunch. " _Oh man I hope Minato and Kushina ate lunch._ " Tetsuya thought to himself.

After grabbing some lunch is when Tetsuya noticed that Ryou was starting to feel sad. "Don't worry, Ryou. Knowing your sister, she will tough it out and be back to her normal self in no time. Cheer up, ok." Tetsuya said in a reassuring tone. That made Ryou feel a lot better about herself. "You know what. You are right, Tetsuya. Kyou will brave through this thing and we have known that since the day we met you." Ryou said with a calm face. Once they reached the bakery is when Tetsuya and Ryou noticed that a few people and Botan were in the playground across the street.

Suddenly, Botan had noticed Tetsuya and Ryou were in the playground she leapt off Yuki's lap and went towards their direction. "Puhi, Puhi, Puhi." Botan said with a smile on her face as she landed in Tetsuya's lap. "Hmm…. I guess someone was excited to see me again. Isn't that right, Botan?" Tetsuya said with a smile on his face and Botan nodded her head. That was when Yuki, Shiznae, Yosaki, Shia, Minato, and Kushina noticed that Tetsuya was in the playground alongside with Ryou.

"Hello, Tetsuya. You just came in time to watch us play a game of catch. Well it's Minato and Yosaki playing catch. Do you know what happened with Kyou?" Yuki asked with a curious look on her face. Then Tetsuya proceeded to tell the others about Kyou's situation and immediately shifted his focus towards Shiznae to ask her if it was alright that Ryou spent the night at the bakery. "That will be fine with me and Yosaki." Shiznae replied with a smile on her face.

Botan then started to take a sleep on Tetsuya's lap and Tetsuya decided to pet her gently as he could. Shia had a curious look on her face and proceeded to say, "Botan sure seems to like you a lot, Tetsuya.". "Well Botan has always liked me because I treat her the same way as her master does. It's been that way since the day I met Botan." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face while still petting Botan.

"Oh I will never forget that day. Wasn't that the same day me and Kyou first met you, Tetsuya?" Ryou said with a humble look on her face. Tetsuya responded back by saying, "Yes, it was the same day that I first met you and Kyou. There are times when I think back on that day and remembering it feeling like it was only yesterday. This makes realize that the friendship which I with you and Kyou is very close to me just like how my relationship with Yuki has been. Also, it matches the very close friendship that I have with Minato." This had put smiles on everyone's faces and stopped the game of catch.

Yuki then proceeded to ask out of curiosity, "Tetsuya, how did you meet Ryou and Kyou? It is probably the question that everyone surrounding us wants to know." Shia, Yosaki, Shiznae, Minato, and Kushina nodded their heads in unison agreeing to Yuki's statement. "It was about three years ago; I had just enrolled into the academy after moving into the area. At that time, most of people I wanted to make friends with at the time simply ignored me or just passed on by like I did not even exist. On the third day of my enrollment at the academy, I was sitting in the classroom before the first period began with my head looking out the window." Tetsuya said before taking some time to cool down the nervous look he had. "Tetsuya had forgot to mention the point that me and my sister were in the same class as him in that first year." Ryou adding something that Tetsuya forgot to point out.

"Where was I? Oh, yes I was looking out the classroom window feeling down. Ryou was sitting a few seats in front of me and Kyou was sitting in the desk right next to mine. Then Kyou turned to see me feeling down and got up from her desk to go talk to Ryou. It was in this moment, that they both came up to me and introduced themselves with myself doing the same. So, a few seconds had passed by before Kyou offered me to eat lunch with her and Ryou. That made happy since they did not want to see me being lonely and wanted me to be their friend. Halfway through eating lunch later that day is when I met Botan who was looking for Kyou. At first, Botan was a little scared of me. After school on that day when Botan noticed me again is when she walked up to my leg and sensed that I would be just like her master." Tetsuya said in wrapping up his story with the first meeting of the Fujibayashi sisters and Botan.

Yuki and Kushina were amazed about the story in general. Not before getting up from the bench is when Ryou proceeded to say, "During those three years, when me or Kyou needed someone to help us out Tetsuya was always there. If there were times when Tetsuya was feeling down, we did the same thing for him. That is how our friendship grew.". "Ryou, was it? I would like to thank you and your sister for watching over my little brother these past three years. That makes me very happy for Tetsuya to have great friends like you." Kushina said with a gleeful look in her eye. " _This is the second day in a row that Kushina has said something like that. I am starting to realize that Kushina, my own sister is very proud of me. I think that the visit is something that she wanted all along and to see me happy._ " Tetsuya thought to himself with a smile on his face looking at Kushina.

Right as Tetsuya was about to get up from the bench, his phone started to vibrate and checked who was trying to call him. Then Tetsuya went inside the bakery to answer the phone call and said, "Oh hello, Professor. It is a surprise that you called me.". "Hello, Tetsuya. How is the visit with Minato and Kushina going?" Hiruzen responded back. Tetsuya then proceeded to tell Hiruzen that the visit has been going great so far. "That is good. By the way, Tetsuya can you tell Minato that he needs to update his volunteer hours once he returns; because I guess he forgot to do so before leaving for the visit." Hiruzen responded back with a stern voice on his end of the phone call. Tetsuya assured that he will relay the message and addressed his goodbyes to end the phone conversation.

Once he made it back to the front of the bakery Tetsuya noticed that everyone made it inside. "Who was it that tried to call you, Tetsuya?" Yuki asked out of curiosity. Before answering her question, Tetsuya went up to Minato and whispered into his ear the message that Hiruzen relayed to him. Minato then proceeded to have a sigh under his breath as a reaction to getting the message. "Are you trying to ignore me, Tetsuya?" Yuki said as she was getting ready to feel irritated. "No I am not ignoring you, Yuki. It's that I had to relay a message to Minato." Tetsuya said with a stern look on his face. In that moment, the entire room started to feel very strange and a few people proceeded to head towards the playground again.

"Don't you dare give that look to me. Well you did not answer my first question, Tetsuya. Who called you on your phone?" Yuki said with her irritating feeling starting to get to the point of anger. Suddenly, Tetsuya and Yuki got into an argument like no other. Minato who was still in the room could not take any more of the argument and said, "Will you two please stop arguing. It is scaring everybody. The person that called Tetsuya was a family friend and mentor figure to me and him by the name of Hiruzen Sarutobi."

Tetsuya and Yuki realized that what Minato said was true; which they felt sorry for scaring everybody off and apologized upon entering the playground. Taking a few feet back with Yuki not that far behind Tetsuya looked straight at her in the face and said, "Yuki, I am sorry for yelling at you and having that senseless argument with you. It is that I had a rough day so far with being concerned about one of my closest friends and the stress carried from that situation. I will explain about the person that Minato mentioned a little later.". "It's okay, Tetsuya. I am sorry for causing you to act up. I know it has been a rough day just that was the first argument we have had. Is there any way I can make it up to you?" Yuki said while her hands were on Tetsuya's shoulders. Tetsuya thought about it real hard and said, "Well how about you show off some of your cooking to Minato and Kushina. That's it maybe we should eat dinner here at the bakery." Yuki felt a little nervous about that response but she agreed to it and then told her family about this which they nodded their heads yes.

"I am happy that you two got to make up, Tetsuya. Every relationship has its fair share of arguments well you should have known that from the countless time you had to witness me and Kushina argued. Finding resolutions to end arguments is what helps a relationship grow." Minato said while patting on Tetsuya's head. "Thank you, Minato. I appreciated the advice. By the way, me and Yuki were thinking that you and Kushina should have dinner here at the bakery with us. It's a good way to experience Yuki's cooking outside of her workplace." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face. Kushina who heard Tetsuya's statement tapped Minato on shoulder and agreed with the idea.

Upon re-entering the bakery with Kushina and Minato, Tetsuya noticed that Shia was standing there expecting his return. "I hope you guys don't mind miso soup. Because that is what Yuki is making for dinner. If you want to everybody is sitting in the dining room in the very back of this building getting everything ready." Shia said with a smile on her face. "That sounds good to me. I will show you where their dining room is at and take off your shoes before entering the hallway." Tetsuya said with confidence in his voice to Kushina and Minato.

Walking towards the dining room is when Tetsuya noticed that Botan was eating a pastry which was cut up into small portions and that put a smile on his face. The dining room table had to be further extended since there were eight people planning on eating dinner. Before taking his seat, Tetsuya had peeked towards the kitchen to see how Yuki was doing. "Is there anything I can do to help out, Yuki?" Tetsuya asked with a kind look on his face. Yuki while stirring up the soup looked at Tetsuya and said, "Not really but thank you for the offer though, Tetsuya. Please take a seat. Dinner should be done at any minute now." With a smile on his face Tetsuya did what Yuki told him to do.

"I poured a cup of tea for you, Tetsuya." Yosaki said once Tetsuya took his seat and which he thanked him for doing such a thing. Suddenly, Tetsuya sees that Kushina was talking gibberish to Minato while everyone else was looking on. "What is the deal with Kushina?" Shia asked out of curiosity. "The only time Kushina acts like this is when something is worrying her or feeling anxious about something. I know it can be weird at times but that is the truth." Tetsuya responded boldly. A few seconds later, Yuki brought out the bowls of miso soup and Kushina's worrying had stopped. " _You were worried about being hungry Kushina. Well you are something else, sis. But that is one of the reasons why I love you. Heh-heh._ " Tetsuya thought to himself before tasting the miso soup.

Once everyone took a taste of Yuki's miso soup, they were amazed on how good it was overall. "This is really good, Yuki. You know." Kushina said in response to tasting the soup. That put a smile on Yuki's face and proceeded to thank Kushina for the compliment. "So, Yuki do you want to know about the person Minato was mentioning about earlier?" Tetsuya said after finishing his miso soup and getting ready to take a sip of his tea. Yuki nodded her head yes and her family and Ryou were curious about it as well.

"From what I am about to tell you is the truth and both Minato and Kushina can agree with me on this. Before I get into minute detail on the information about the per mentioned person, there is something I am going to add in case if anyone get curious about other friendships which were lifelong. You see there are two people that I am very close friends with. They always helped me out if there was a desperate situation I got involved in while Minato and Kushina were away; the names of these people are Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka. These guys have been friends of mine since I was a young child." Tetsuya stated briefly before finding the right way to give his real explanation. "That was nice of you to explain this, Tetsuya. But can you please get to the main situation here?" Minato said in an anxious tone.

"Oh alright, Minato. Now the person who was mentioned earlier today, Hiruzen Sarutobi. He was the leader of a nation when I entered there at a very young age, which Minato here succeeded him a few years later. However, after Minato entered the Pure Land here Hiruzen retook his spot until it was his time to come up here. Anyways, I always called Hiruzen as Professor since he is very knowledgeable on many things and I basically learned just about everything from him. He and his wife, Biwako had watched me on occasion when I was real young while Kushina was away. Because of that I had viewed him as a father figure and we talk on a regular basis. At times, he and Biwako can be stern but once you get to know them they are nice people." Tetsuya said with clarity in his voice. Yuki, Yuki's family, and Ryou were amazed about the information Tetsuya gave them.

Minato then patted on Tetsuya's shoulders and with a smile on his face told Tetsuya how proud he was for giving them that information. After cleaning up the dinner dishes is when Tetsuya, Kushina, and Minato were getting ready to leave the bakery in the direction of Tetsuya's apartment. Before doing so, Tetsuya proceeded to tell Ryou that he was coming by in the morning to get here so they can visit Kyou. Yuki then stopped Tetsuya before heading out of the bakery with Kushina and Minato already heading back to the apartment.

"What is it, Yuki?" Tetsuya asked with a concern look on his face. "I was wondering did the people you mentioned earlier know about me and our relationship?" Yuki responded back with a question of her own. Tetsuya smiled and proceeded to say, "Yes, they were the first ones I told while on my trip." Yuki got nervous from Tetsuya's response and sent him off with a goodbye kiss. "See you in the morning, Tetsuya. I love you." Yuki said with a smile on her face. Tetsuya said the same back to Yuki before he went on to his apartment.


	22. Minato and Kushina's Visit: Day Five

22

Minato and Kushina's Visit: Day Five

Tetsuya got up and headed towards the Sakagami Bakery to pick up Ryou so that they can check to see how Kyou was doing. "Are you ready to go, Ryou?" Tetsuya asked once he saw Ryou standing outside of the bakery. Ryou nodded her head in a yes fashion and they walked towards the direction of the hospital. Not even taking a step off the block is when Tetsuya noticed Botan was following them and he said in a calm manner for Botan to head back to the Fujibayashi residence. With that Botan went her separate ways to head back to her home.

Upon arriving at the hospital, a short time later, Tetsuya and Ryou went to find Kyou in the room that she was in the day prior. Before taking a step into the room, Tetsuya was briefed by the doctor that nothing else was wrong with Kyou and they were planning on releasing her from the hospital today. "Thank you, doctor." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face. Then Ryou asked Tetsuya out of curiosity about what the doctor said to him. "Well he told me that there was nothing wrong. With that being said Kyou gets to come home today." Tetsuya said with an honest look. This put smiles on both Kyou and Ryou's faces, which the doctor came by to take the vitals off Kyou and she was released from the hospital.

"Where's Botan?" Kyou asked once they left the hospital. "At this moment, she should be back at your house Kyou. Botan did really great for Yuki's family yesterday and spent the night there with Ryou." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face. That put a smile on Kyou's face and the Fujibayashi sisters and Tetsuya went their separate ways. "I better head back to the apartment before my sister and brother-in-law get concerned about my whereabouts." Tetsuya said as he was waving goodbyes to the Fujibayashi sisters. Kyou and Ryou waved goodbyes to Tetsuya before heading back to their house.

Meanwhile, Minato and Kushina woke up before heading into the kitchen waiting for Tetsuya's return. Kushina suddenly had a sad look on her face in which Minato proceeded to say, "Kushina, what's wrong?". "I am sad that our visit is coming to an end in a couple of days and we should start packing most of our things tonight. However, there is one thing I wish for to happen, you know." Kushina said with a gloomy face. "What would that be, Kushina?" Minato asked out curiosity in his face.

Kushina had given it some serious thought and proceeded to say, "I wish that we could live in this area, Minato. Based on seeing the many sights which Tetsuya and Yuki showed us in the past five days made me realize how beautiful this area is. Yes, I know this means that we would be moving away from all our friends back in the Pure Land Leaf Village. *sniffles* it's that I do not want to be completely far away from my little brother again, you know." Minato was shocked to hear this and which he embraced Kushina to say, "I was thinking the same thing myself, Kushina. However, if I tell Tetsuya this he would think that I am crazy. To tell you the truth, I am fine with this decision. Ever since we reconciled with Tetsuya I noticed that you wanted to be fully back into your brother's life. Oh, it looks like he's back." Suddenly, Minato and Kushina noticed that Tetsuya returned.

"I see that you guys are up and around. Is there anything special you want me to make for breakfast?" Tetsuya said once he stepped into his apartment noticing Minato and Kushina in the kitchen. "What about omelets for breakfast, you know." Kushina said with a smile on her face. Tetsuya agreed and he pulled the eggs out of the refrigerator to start making the requested breakfast. "Tetsuya, do you mind if me and you take a walk around town today? Kushina is going to spend time with Yuki during our stroll." Minato asked with a calm look on his face. "Ok, Minato I am fine with that. We will head out after breakfast." Tetsuya said with a weird look on his face. Kushina agreed to Minato's request and started to eat her breakfast. Once they finished eating breakfast is when Tetsuya, Minato, and Kushina left Tetsuya's apartment towards the bakery to drop off Kushina.

Arriving at the bakery is when Tetsuya noticed that Yuki was standing outside sweeping the entrance way. "Good morning, you guys." Yuki said with a smile on her face. In that moment, Tetsuya proceeded to tell Yuki about his plans for today and to keep an eye on Kushina for him. "Oh ok, I will see you when you guys get back." Yuki said with a reasonable look on her face. "Don't worry, you and me are going to have fun today. You know." Kushina said to Yuki with a smile on her face. So, with that Tetsuya and Minato walked away from the bakery in the direction of the shopping district. Yuki and Kushina waved goodbye to Tetsuya and Minato who were in the distance.

Reaching the halfway point is when Tetsuya proceeded to say with a suspicious look on his face, "Is there something you wanted to talk to me about, Minato? It was surprising about the request you gave me earlier this morning. I am starting to get suspicious that you are up to something." Minato had a calm look his face and responded to Tetsuya with a sigh under his breath, "Yes, there was something very important I wanted to tell you Tetsuya. While you were out this morning, Kushina was telling me she wished that one day me and her would reside in this area."

Suddenly, Tetsuya was shocked to hear this and stunned to hear what Minato just said. "That is crazy, Minato." Tetsuya said with his facial expression still the same. "Well I felt the same way when she said that to me until the real reason for the wish. It is that since you reconciled with us a few weeks ago, Kushina started to get the feeling that she wants to full be back into your life. Your sister loves you very dearly and is determined in some way to not lose you again." Minato said completing his reasoning honestly as he could. In that moment, Tetsuya was awestruck upon hearing this and had taken it some serious though, " _Kushina is really feeling this way. She would go that far based on visiting here. That means she has come back into my life completely based on what Minato was saying. It is something that I had long hoped for. If this is something she wants, then I will do my best to make it happen._ " Minato was starting to get curious about the look Tetsuya had on his face once they reached the shopping district.

"What is it, Tetsuya?" Minato asked Tetsuya with a calm look on his face. Tetsuya then proceeded to say with a smile his face, "I will help you find a suitable home around here for you and Kushina to live in. Luckily there is a house listing building not far from here. If we find a house that matches your needs today. I am aware that Kushina's birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks; with that into consideration we will make this a surprise birthday gift from the both of us." Minato was happy to hear that Tetsuya accepted his request and almost forgot about Kushina's birthday is steadily approaching.

Then Tetsuya and Minato had reached the house listing place to enter inside it; which they noticed a receptionist was sitting at her desk upon noticing both men there. "Hello there, how may I help you today?" the receptionist said with a smile on her face. "Well we are here to see if there are any empty houses available. You see the guy standing next to me interested in moving to this area with his wife." Tetsuya responded with clarity in his voice. The receptionist then pulled out two folders containing information about two houses that are suitable for living in. The first folder contained pictures of a spacious house that has a big dining room and kitchen, decent sized living room, two bathrooms, a storage closet, and three bedrooms which was located four blocks north of the Sakagami Bakery. Then the second folder was pictures of a house which had a small living room, medium sized dining room and kitchen, one bathroom, and two bedrooms situated about six blocks south of Tetsuya's apartment.

Minato took further examinations on both folders while Tetsuya was looking at the window, before reaching a decision. With his mind made up Minato then proceeded to say to the receptionist, "I will take the first house. Since it is the kind of house that my wife would be interested in with the nice area that surrounds it." "Perfect, just sign these papers and the house will be yours to live in." the receptionist said with a calm look on her face. Tetsuya noticed that Minato was signing the contract to show proof of ownership of the house. "Miss, how long would it take before him and his wife can move into that house?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. "It will be around two weeks from now before they can move their things into that house." The receptionist responded with honesty. Both Tetsuya and Minato thanked the receptionist before heading out of the house listing place with the contract paper stowed neatly in Minato's pocket.

"That is great we found a house for you and Kushina to live in. I hope she likes it, Minato. However, we must keep this a secret from Kushina until her birthday. The only people I will notify about this is Yuki's family. Because it is going to be a surprise for Yuki as well. It is that I noticed how good Yuki and Kushina are getting along in the past four days. I had hoped for this day to come to be quite honest with you." Tetsuya said to Minato as they were heading back in the direction of the Sakagami Bakery. Minato agreed to Tetsuya's request and added on by saying, "I will tell Lord Third and some of our closest confidants about this. How are you going to get our things to this new house?" "Well I was planning on getting a moving truck to rent for the day. Since there is a road here that leads straight to the entrance way of the Pure Land Leaf Village which is a five-hour drive. I am planning on having both of Yuki's parents to help once we get to the house on that day. However, you must come up with a plan to keep Kushina distracted without telling here what is actually going on." Tetsuya responded boldly to Minato's question.

Meanwhile, Yuki and Kushina were sitting on the playground bench before they noticed that Tetsuya and Minato were in sight. Then Tetsuya and Minato went towards the playground bench across from the Sakagami Bakery. "How was your fun-filled day, Yuki?" Tetsuya asked with a smile on his face. "Well me and Kushina got to help a little in the bakery. Also, Kushina mentioned to me about her birthday coming up. That led to telling her how you professed your love to me on my birthday, Tetsuya. How did you and Minato's walk turn out?". "It was great actually. I got to show Minato more of the shopping district for a while and came back here." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face.

"I hope you guys didn't eat dinner yet. Because me and Kushina planned on having the same barbecue special which we had on our first date, Tetsuya." Yuki said in a calm tone. Tetsuya and Minato had smiled on their faces which they admitted to not eating dinner. In that moment, Tetsuya's stomach started to growl and planned on having the dinner at his apartment. Tetsuya while Yuki, Minato, and Kushina were entering his apartment said, "I never knew that the barbecue place had a delivery system." Yuki then explained to Tetsuya that she noticed a sign stating the delivery system back on their fateful first date.

Halfway through eating dinner is when Minato proceeded to say, "Even though me and Kushina head back home in two days. These past five days were quite memorable getting to see many sights and meeting new people along the way that helped my best friend out during his time here. On behalf of Kushina and myself we thank you." Yuki thanked both Minato and Kushina based on what Minato said. "I am presuming you guys are getting most of your packing done tonight." Tetsuya said with a curious look on his face.

"Yes, that is what me and Minato were planning on doing that tonight. You know." Kushina said with a smile on her face. Then Tetsuya, Yuki, Minato, and Kushina finished eating their dinner before Yuki had to head back home. "I forgot to say this earlier, Tetsuya. But on the day that Minato and Kushina, I work on that day. So, I am going to say this now since I have a feeling that you are going to spend the last couple of days with them. Have fun with them and don't get sad for me telling you this. Anyways, it was an honor to meet Minato and Kushina. It was nice to getting to know you guys these past few days and my family feels the same way." Yuki said this before walking out of Tetsuya's door. In that moment, Tetsuya stepped outside to give Yuki a goodbye kiss and told her, "Thank you for making Minato and Kushina's visit very special. It meant the world to me and in turn made the happiest I have ever been. I thank you for that. Well I better let you go and see you when you get off work in a couple of days. Before I forget tell your dad that I am planning on returning to work once I get back from dropping off Kushina and Minato at the train station in two days. I love you."

Once Yuki made it back to the bakery she saw that the dining room light was still on and that her family was still up. "Wow, you came back early, Yuki. How come?" Shia asked out of curiosity. Yuki immediately explained to her family about how Tetsuya was planning the final two days of Minato and Kushina's visit helping them pack to head back home; also told them about how she got called into work for that day. "Oh by the way, Dad." Yuki said with a clear look on her face. "What is it, Yuki?" Yosaki said in response. "Tetsuya told me to tell you that he is planning on starting his work shift again in two days once he returns from dropping off Minato and Kushina at the train station." Yuki said with a smile on her face. Yosaki nodded his head that he understood Yuki's statement. Then the Sakagami family all went to bed after turning off the dining room light.

Meanwhile, Tetsuya was sitting on his couch and felt helpless which he asked Kushina if her and Minato needed any help with packing. "Thanks for the offer, Tetsuya. But me and Minato got it. We are planning on washing our clothes tomorrow so they don't get dirty, you know. By the way, our train two days from now leaves during mid-morning hours." Kushina said in response to Tetsuya's offer. "*yawns*if that is the case. I am heading off to bed. Good night, Sis and Minato." Tetsuya said towards Kushina and Minato before he headed off to sleep for the night.


	23. Minato and Kushina's Visit: Epilogue

23

Minato and Kushina's Visit: Epilogue

The sixth and final full day of Minato and Kushina's visit had been filled with them staying in Tetsuya's apartment the entire time getting ready for their return trip home. However, Tetsuya knew that their separation was only going to be temporary based on the previous day's plans with Minato. That in turn made Tetsuya not feeling completely sad about the departure but there were little signs indicating it. "So, how far are you guys along in terms of packing?" Tetsuya asked while he was preparing lunch. Minato responded back by saying, "We are just about done packing. The only thing that we should do now is picking out clothes to wear for tomorrow." "That is good to hear. Oh by the way tell Kushina to wash up because lunch is about done?" Tetsuya said to Minato once he put lunch on the dining room table.

Minato then told Kushina the message and they proceeded to the dining room table for lunch. The lunch was rice and a couple slices of fish that had been packaged in a bento box. "I know that it does not look appetizing. However, this is in preparation for what I am planning on making for dinner." Tetsuya said while taking a bite out of his bento box. After they ate lunch, Tetsuya decided to pull out the ingredients for what he was about to make for dinner. "Why are you pulling out the food being made for dinner? We just got done eating lunch, you know." Kushina said in reaction to Tetsuya's action. "It's that the food needs to be defrosted since I pulled it out of the freezer, Kushina." Tetsuya said with an honest look on his face.

A couple of hours had passed by and Tetsuya had gotten up from his living room to start making dinner. " _I hope what I am making for dinner turns out well. Since it's the first time that for what I call the Tetsuya Special is going to be served. Ah the food to make it has been completely defrosted._ " Tetsuya thought to himself as he was getting the dishes that he needed for his special dinner. Halfway through cooking dinner, Minato and Kushina noticed the strong smell coming from the kitchen. "It smells really good in here, Tetsuya. What is it that you are making?" Minato asked out of curiosity. "It's a surprise. You must wait until it gets done. Sorry about that." Tetsuya responded back with a gleeful look on his face.

"Ok dinner's just about done." Tetsuya said once he put his special dinner on three separate plates. Minato and Kushina got up from the living room to wash up for dinner and sat down in the dining room. Upon taking the first bite of dinner Kushina said, "Hmm…this is good, Tetsuya. What is it exactly?". "Well I call it the Tetsuya Special. Thank you for the compliment, Kushina. To be honest with you and Minato this is actually my first time ever making this dish." Tetsuya said while he got all nervous.

A few moments later, Tetsuya after getting done eating his dinner is when he starting sending a message to Yuki to see how her day went. Yuki replied by telling Tetsuya that it went good and she told him that she was going to sleep in preparation for work the next day. Not before they sent each other messages saying, "I love you and good night." Tetsuya immediately put his phone away and started to clean up the dinner dishes.

"I'm off to bed, Tetsuya. It is going to be a long day tomorrow." Minato said before heading off to the bedroom. Tetsuya said good night to Minato with a smile on his face. After saying those words, Tetsuya had noticed that Kushina was still sitting in the living room with a sad look on her face. Feeling concerned Tetsuya went over there and sat right next to Kushina.

"Sis, what's wrong?" Tetsuya asked out of concern. Kushina responded back by saying, "It's that I can't believe that this visit is ending tomorrow morning. *sobs* I have learned so much from this visit, but other than missing the people I met along the way. I am going to miss you the most of all, little brother. Sorry if I am getting all emotional. You know." Tetsuya then embraced Kushina and wiping the tears off her eyes. "I am going to miss you as well, Sis. There will be a day when we are going to see each other again. Minato, I know did not show the signs that he learned much from this visit not trying to be mean or anything. However, I strongly noticed it with you. That made very happy for all the nice things you said despite that little fight we had a few days ago. To tell you the truth, this visit made me realize very significantly how important you and Minato are to me. Yuki even noticed this as well. Anyways, we better head off to bed since it is going to be a long day tomorrow just like Minato said." Tetsuya said all of this while still embracing Kushina. With that both Tetsuya and Kushina went to bed.

Then early in the morning on the seventh day Tetsuya, Minato, and Kushina got up early to head for the train station. Tetsuya was nice enough to carry both Minato and Kushina's bags until they got to the train station. The sign on the train station stated that the train departing for the Pure Land Leaf Village station was leaving in fifteen minutes. So, they had to rush towards the nearest train door which was only a few feet from them.

"Well this is where I have to say goodbye. Thank you guys for visiting me. It was memorable that you got to see where I live and how my happiness has changed in the past three years. Remember to call me once you guys get home, ok. If I don't answer right away, then I will call you once I get off work. I love you guys." Tetsuya said while embracing both Kushina and Minato before they got off the train station. Kushina waved goodbye and got on the train first. However, before stepping on the train Minato said, "We will see you in a couple of weeks, Tetsuya. I still have the contract in my pocket. Anyways, I will talk to you later and have a good day." Tetsuya then waved at both Minato and Kushina once the train started to take off.

" _So, life is back to normal and I better hurry to make it to my shift at the bakery before it opens. That's right I should tell Yosaki and Shiznae about the plan concerning Minato and Kushina's move in two weeks._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while trying to hurry back towards the bakery. That is when Tetsuya was pressured even more for time since the train station is about twenty minutes from the bakery and it was about to open in thirty minutes. At the bakery, Yosaki had noticed about fifteen minutes later Tetsuya was sprinting trying to get to work on time. "*pant*Did I make it in time? *pant* Just give me a few seconds to catch my breath." Tetsuya who was out of breath said to Yosaki. "Yes, you made it about ten minutes early. Come inside and I will give you something to drink, Tetsuya." Yosaki said with a smile on his face. Tetsuya then thanked Yosaki after regaining his breath and put on the apron in start of the work day.

Meanwhile, Minato and Kushina were sitting on the train a couple of hours before they started to notice signs of the Pure Land Leaf Village. "We are close to the Pure Land Leaf Village train station. Arrival is in five minutes." The conductor said on the train's intercom. Once the train got closer to the Pure Land Leaf Village, Minato noticed that a few people he recognized were waiting for him and Kushina. "Look at this, Kushina. It seems a few of our friends are waiting on us." Minato said with a smile on his face after they got off the train.


	24. Preparations for Yuki's Move

24

Preparations for Yuki's Move

After they got off the train, Minato and Kushina were greeted by Hiruzen and some of their longtime friends. "So, how was the trip?" Hiruzen asked while on the way to Minato and Kushina's house. Minato stared at the sky for a second before looking at Hiruzen with a smile on his face saying, "It was great. We got to do so many things with Tetsuya. To be honest, I am very proud to call Tetsuya my best friend and I am proud of the person he has become. That was the happiest I have ever seen Tetsuya. His girlfriend is very nice and she cares about Tetsuya. By the way Lord Third is there any way that we can have dinner at your house tomorrow night; just only me, you, Biwako, Shikaku, and Inoichi because there is something important I want to discuss to you guys." Hiruzen with a pipe in his hand proceeded to say, "That is good to hear. About your request I will notify them about tomorrow night, Minato. Well I better head back to the house." With that Minato waved goodbye to Hiruzen and noticed that Kushina had entered their house unpacking their things.

Meanwhile, Tetsuya had a busy day so far with countless customers coming in and buying many pastries as they could at the bakery. This caused Shia to rush in and put out new lines of pastries between customers coming in and out. Then business started to slow down at midday and Yosaki who had walked up to the front of the store said, "Why don't you take a little break and eat lunch with us, Tetsuya? Shia will take care of the counter if any customers come by." Tetsuya nodded his head in a yes fashion and proceeded to head towards the Sakagami dining room. Before he could take a seat, Tetsuya's cell phone starts vibrating and hit the send button on his phone.

"Oh hello, Minato. I am guessing you guys made it back safely. You caught me at the perfect time since I started my lunch break. How's Kushina doing?" Tetsuya responded to begin the phone conversation. "Well she is doing fine but is still sad about leaving you. By the way, I am planning on telling Lord Third and your closest friends about our plan and revealing the move tomorrow night." Minato responded back boldly. Tetsuya had a sigh underneath his breath realizing that Kushina was still feeling the same way as she did the night before. "Sorry if I have to make this call short. But I got to go eat lunch. Hope everything works out tomorrow night. Tell Kushina that I said hello and I love her for me okay, Minato. Goodbye my friend I will talk to you later." Tetsuya said with an honest voice before ending the phone call. Minato then said goodbye as well and thanked him for the luck on revealing their secret plan.

Just as Tetsuya put down his phone, he noticed that Shiznae brought in some homemade lunch and told Yosaki that lunch was ready. "Who was that you were talking to on the phone, Tetsuya?" Yosaki asked out of curiosity. "It was Minato. He called to tell me that him and Kushina had made it back home safely." Tetsuya replied with an honest look on his face before taking a bite of his lunch. Then a couple of minutes later, Tetsuya had a wondrous look on his face which caused a bit of concern on Shiznae.

"What is it, Tetsuya?" Shiznae asked out of concern. Tetsuya looked right at both Yosaki and Shiznae after eating his lunch. "There is something I want to tell you guys. Promise me to not say anything about for what I am about to tell you in front of Yuki. It is something different from planning on what day Yuki wants to move in with me; that I will discuss with her once she gets back from work." Tetsuya said with a stern look on his face. "Ok then what is this secret that you want to tell us, Tetsuya?" Yosaki responded back with a calm look on his face. In that moment, Tetsuya proceeded to tell Yosaki and Shiznae about the plan involving moving Minato and Kushina into this area; which he also stated the reason why he wanted to do this. Yosaki and Shiznae were shocked to hear what Tetsuya just told them then they had smiles on their faces in the realization of the message.

Right as Tetsuya was about to end his lunch break, he noticed that Yuki had returned to the bakery. "Oh hello, Tetsuya." Yuki greeted Tetsuya as she was making her way towards her bedroom. "Did they let you out of work early, Yuki?" Tetsuya asked with concern on his face. Yuki with a smile on her face responded back by saying, "Not really. Just that another worker wanted to trade night shifts with me. Which means I have a long day at work tomorrow. Have you thought about what day you want me to move in with you, Tetsuya?". "I was going to talk about that to you later. But since you asked so how about three days from now. Is that reasonable with you, Yuki?" Tetsuya responded with a nervous look on his face. Yuki nodded her head in a yes fashion and they proceeded to tell her family the good news.

"That is great to hear, Yuki. I know somebody who has a moving truck that they can let me borrow for the day. So, you and Tetsuya do not have worry about it?" Yosaki said with an honest look on his face. Then both Tetsuya and Yuki expressed their thanks to Yosaki; afterwards Tetsuya went straight to the counter to continue his shift. "Do you want me to help you out in case there is a long line of customers, Tetsuya?" Yuki said with a kind look on her face. "It is alright with me, Yuki. Since you have done this kind of work before." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face. Then Yuki went to find an apron and headed towards the counter alongside Tetsuya.

Business had steadily picked up after Tetsuya and Yuki relived Shia of her duties that in turn made the long lines a lot shorter than expected. "I forgot to ask this earlier, Tetsuya. How was it dropping off your sister and brother-in-law at the train station this morning?" Yuki asked out of curiosity when no customers showed up. "It was alright to tell you the truth, Yuki. However, it felt like that Kushina did not want to leave because she was sad about this last night as well. I am starting to realize that the entire duration of their visit, Kushina had felt very strongly about you and the importance of you being in my life." Tetsuya said looking down with a smile on his face. Yuki then patted on Tetsuya's shoulder to assure him that everything is going to be alright. Then an hour later, it was time that Yosaki closed the bakery for the day.

Shia who noticed that both Tetsuya and Yuki were putting aprons away proceeded to say, "Do you guys need any help on the day when Yuki moves into your place, Tetsuya?". "Well since your father offered to help earlier with getting a moving truck, I suppose we can have one more helping hand." Tetsuya said in accepting Shia's request. In that moment, Tetsuya expressed his goodbyes to the Sakagami family before he headed back to his apartment. " _Well I better start rearranging my apartment so that Yuki can put her things in here. I am feeling very happy that soon Yuki will be living with me and our life together is beginning at the same time. Now I wonder how everyone back at the Pure Land Leaf Village is going to react towards Minato and Kushina moving here in two weeks._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he got back to his apartment and made dinner for himself.

The following day around early evening is when Minato had gotten ready to have his scheduled dinner with the Sarutobis, Shikaku, and Inoichi. "Sorry that I can't join you for dinner tonight, Kushina. I am planning on bringing back some food for you, so you do not have to worry about making dinner." Minato said right as he was about to head out the door. "It's ok, Minato. Go and have a good time. I will be here waiting for you." Kushina said with a gleeful tone in her voice. With that Minato left to go towards the Sarutobi residence and upon arriving there he noticed that everyone was there waiting for him.

"You made it just in time, Minato. Take the seat across from Hiruzen and dinner will be done shortly." Biwako greeted Minato once he stepped foot into the Sarutobi house. Minato once he sat down greeted Hiruzen, Shikaku, and Inoichi. A few minutes passed by and Biwako put dinner on the table. In that moment, not even taking a few bites of his dinner Hiruzen started to grow suspicious of the motive into Minato's visit. "What is the reason why you summoned us here tonight, Minato?" Shikaku asked as he started to get suspicious like Hiruzen.

Minato had given some thought on what he was going to respond towards Shikaku's question until it dawned on him. "Well are you going to tell us or not, Minato?" Inoichi said with a stern voice. Before getting ready to give his response, Minato had pulled out the contract about the new house out from his pocket and placed it on the table. "What is that, Minato?" Hiruzen asked about the paper that Minato placed on the table.

"Alright, I will tell you guys the reason I had summoned you here at Lord Third's house tonight. It was about three days ago while me and Kushina were still visiting Tetsuya. While he was out doing an errand, Kushina had started to realize that she did wanted to distance herself from her little brother/my best friend. Then she later said to me she wished for one day that me and her could live in the same area as Tetsuya. I had thought she was crazy because we would not see you guys again. However, it proved that Kushina wanted to be fully back into Tetsuya's life again. When I had told Tetsuya about this he thought of the same thing I did. At that point, Tetsuya realized what was going on and we founded a suitable house for me and Kushina to live in." Minato said with honesty in his voice. Hiruzen and Biwako weren't surprised to hear this unlike Shikaku and Inoichi were shocked. "I had hoped that this day would come. I knew that you and Kushina's reconciliation with Tetsuya would one day lead to this. So, the piece of paper on the table is the contract to your new house, Minato?" Hiruzen said with clarity. Minato nodded his head yes to Hiruzen's question.

"Minato, we can still visit over there once you guys get settled in. Tetsuya when he was here told us about the train and gave all of us information on how to get tickets; so, we passed it along to everyone in the village. What I am saying is that you won't be sacrificing our friendships because of this decision. Do what makes you and Kushina happy. You see Tetsuya has always valued you and Kushina as the important people in his life. Go live right by him." Shikaku said with reassurance in his voice. Minato thanked Shikaku for those words and mentioned the fact that they must keep this secret from Kushina.

"When is this move going to happen and how are you going to get there?" Inoichi asked out of curiosity. "The move is taking place on Kushina's birthday which is two weeks from now. Tetsuya is going to come by with a moving truck and he is going to help us move in. So, you guys will see Tetsuya. I was thinking that we should hold a little birthday party for Kushina the night before the move. Because the house is actually me and Tetsuya's surprise birthday gift for Kushina." Minato responded boldly. Once dinner got done is when Minato headed back to his house.

Before taking a step outside the Sarutobi residence, Minato was stopped by Hiruzen. "Minato, it is not crazy to make a decision just like Shikaku said earlier. I believe that Kushina from the tone you gave us in the explanation that she learned many things from your visit. This is another way that Kushina feels to truly be back in Tetsuya's life again; she wants to live nearby close to him just like it was when we were alive. Her special bond with Tetsuya has fully returned." Hiruzen said holding a pipe in his hand. "It's not only that, Lord Third. I am feeling the same way myself since after all Tetsuya is my best friend and brother-in-law. There are so many people in that area who gave high praises about Tetsuya. Even his girlfriend, she has made Tetsuya the happiest that he has ever been. His love for her is more valuable than my and Kushina's relationship." Minato said with a smile on his face. Once he got ready to head off to bed after giving Kushina her dinner, Minato smiled with gleeful joy in his face. " _Well the advice that everyone gave me tonight. I am relieved that the decision was not crazy after all, just it was meant to be._ " Minato thought to himself before he slept.

The next day work at the bakery for Tetsuya was the same as the prior day with business booming in the first half of his shift. After taking care of the last customer before he went on lunch break, Tetsuya had heard his phone vibrating and decided to take the call in the Sakagami living room. Realizing that it was Minato calling, Tetsuya decided to bring Yosaki and Shiznae into the living room where he was preparing to put the phone on speaker.

"Hi, Minato. How did it go last night with explaining the plan?" Tetsuya asked the first thing that came on his mind. "It went great, Tetsuya. Everyone was very accepting of the plan and assured that they want to visit sometimes after we get moved in. Anyways, how are things going down there?" Minato responded back boldly. Tetsuya was nervous about responding to Minato's question since Yuki's parents were standing right there and Minato had not yet realized he was on speaker phone. "Things are going great here. Just that tomorrow is when Yuki is moving into my apartment to live with me. So, me and Yuki's family besides running the bakery have been busy about the moving arrangements. By the way you are on speaker phone and Yuki's parents say hello." Tetsuya responded with a calm look on his face. The rest of the phone conversation ended up with Minato telling his plan about dealing with Kushina's birthday, how proud he was with Tetsuya and Yuki moving in together, and Tetsuya being happy with all of Minato's responses.

Tetsuya putting his phone back in his pocket proceeded to the front counter so, he can finish out the rest of his shift. The rest of Tetsuya's day at work was slow since very few customers showed up from the time between his lunch break and when the bakery closed for the day. "So, what are you going to do now Tetsuya? I am asking this since Yuki has the long shift today." Shia asked out of curiosity. "Hmm…since I did not have dinner yet. I should eat dinner at the noodle shop." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face. Shiznae had overheard the conversation and said, "You're going to see Yuki at her work. Can you tell her to lock up the bakery once she gets home before Yosaki does it?". Tetsuya assured that he will relay the message to Yuki and headed off to the noodle shop after taking his work apron off.

Upon arriving at the noodle shop, Tetsuya noticed that it was busy and there was a long line just to even find a place to sit down. " _Oh, wonderful. Now the waiting game begins. Yet again it makes sense since most of the people working in this shopping district are just getting off work._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while standing in the long line. A few minutes passed by and the line started to get shorter until it was Tetsuya's turn. "Is it only just you wanting a table, sir?" The person working the counter said. "Yes, it is only me and no one else." Tetsuya responded back to the question the person posed. Suddenly, there was an empty table which the waiter escorted Tetsuya to.

"Do you know what you want to order, kind sir?" The waiter said after Tetsuya was done glancing at the menu. "Yes, I want a bowl of ramen with a slice of pork on top and a cup of tea to drink." Tetsuya said after handing the waiter the menu. To kill some time before the food arrived Tetsuya was glancing the beautiful trees that were surrounding the middle of the shopping district. Also, Tetsuya was thinking about the anticipation of not only Yuki moving in with him, but more so the plan of making sure Minato and Kushina's move hoping it can work.

After looking out the window, Tetsuya started to get concerned in why his order is taking so long even though it was only two simple things. A waiter passed by and Tetsuya tapped on his shoulder asking why is Tetsuya's order taking so long. "I'm sorry about that, sir. It's that our cooks are working extremely hard and frankly I do not like the attitude you are giving me." The waiter responded with a stern voice. "Oh, really. Look I have busting my butt all day just to make a living and just wanted to have a decent meal here. More certainly I am not liking the tone of voice you gave me just now. You absolutely do not talk that way towards me do you understand or is that going to be a problem. Let me speak to your manager." Tetsuya said as he was starting to raise his voice.

Suddenly the entire noodle shop takes notice of the hostile feeling going based on the situation. This brought out the manager to come towards the table where Tetsuya was sitting at and said, "Is there a problem, sir?". Then Tetsuya told the manager about the smirk attitude the waiter was giving him after asking a question and how he could not handle it. "This waiter should have known better to not treat any customers this way. Sorry about that and your order will be out very shortly." The manager said after hearing Tetsuya's response and he proceeded to pull the waiter aside to give him a warning not to pull a stunt like that ever again.

Yuki, who had just got done using the bathroom and asked one of fellow workers what happened while she was out. "*sighs*One of the waiters had caused a big scene towards a customer which made the shop looking towards the situation. Don't worry our boss straightened out the waiter." The worker responded to Yuki's question. "Well who was it that the waiter caused the customer to make the scene?" Yuki asked another question with a concern look on her face. Then one of workers had a hard time to think of a proper answer towards the question Yuki just asked. "I think it was somebody that looks like your boyfriend, Yuki. But I am not for certain. Look for yourself from out the window here." The worker asked while staring at the window.

Once Yuki looked at the window and seen what the worker was talking about, her face suddenly felt sad to see that it was Tetsuya who was involved in the altercation. "Yes that is him alright. I'm just upset for the fact that the waiter had caused a scene with my boyfriend. I do not like it when someone goes verbal in front of him especially when I am not around." Yuki stated this while she was feeling upset about the entire thing. In that moment, the manager had walked by the kitchen and overheard what Yuki just said. "Yuki, don't worry about it. I have it already taken care of besides his order is just about done. Do you want to give him this order?" The manager said with a sincere look on his face. "Yes, I will give him this order." Yuki responded back with a smile on her face.

"Alright then, once you give him the order. Your shift will end, Yuki. Just as a side bonus, I will make you an order of the same thing as he did and one of the cooks here will give it to you. See you tomorrow bright and early ok." The manager said with a kind look on his face. Yuki had been surprised to hear what her boss just said to her and was speechless for a moment. "Thank you, I just am surprised to hear you say that just now. I better get going and see you guys tomorrow." Yuki said with a gleeful look on her face as she was taking off her apron and went on her way to giving Tetsuya his order.

In that moment, Tetsuya with a sad look on his face started to smell the food that he ordered coming his way along with the drink he requested. "Is this seat taken, sir? By the way here is your order." Yuki said as she gave Tetsuya his order. "No the seat is not taken. Thank you for bring out the order." Tetsuya responded as he still had the sad look on his face not even noticing Yuki was sitting right across from him. Yuki had to do something for Tetsuya to notice her; so she placed her hands on top of Tetsuya's hands and said, "Can you look up to me and tell me what's wrong? It's starting to concern me and it will make you feel better if you talked to me." Then Tetsuya looked up and took notice that Yuki was sitting across from him with a smile on her face. "I am sorry if I had caused a ruckus here at the noodle shop. It was that I did not like the way that waiter was treating me just because of a simple question. I should have known better to act up like this especially around you, Yuki." Tetsuya said as he was starting to regain a smile on his face.

"It's ok, Tetsuya. You better eat the ramen before it starts to get cold and same goes for drinking the tea. My boss was kind enough to not only let me hand you the order that he gave me an order of the same thing you have. It should be out shortly." Yuki said this with a confident look on her face as she put her hand on Tetsuya's face. Tetsuya started to blush and said, "Wow that was really nice for your boss to do that for you. Well…I wish to hug you right now but like you said I should eat this ramen before it goes cold. Thank you for helping me feeling better, Yuki. I appreciated it." Not even a few seconds later, while eating his ramen Tetsuya noticed that Yuki's order was on the way and looking at Yuki eating her ramen with a smile on his face.

Tetsuya who had just got done eating his ramen and taking a sip of tea said to Yuki, "So, are you nervous about the big day tomorrow, Yuki? I am feeling a little nervous talking about it." "I am extremely nervous about it. But I can manage though since it will be something I am looking forward to once I get off work. Even though it will be a big transition for the both of us; I believe that it will work out for the best long as you're with me by my side, Tetsuya." Yuki said trying to hide the nervous look on her face. Once Yuki got done eating her ramen is when her and Tetsuya walked out of the noodle shop holding hands in the direction of the bakery.

Standing in front of the bakery is when Yuki looking at Tetsuya's eyes said, "Do you want me to get off work early so I can help out, Tetsuya?" "No don't do that, Yuki. Besides we got it taken care of with your father and sister will help me out while your mother manages the bakery. How about I wait for you tomorrow right by the tree in the shopping district, is that okay with you?" Tetsuya said with a smile on his face. "That will be fine with me. Well I better go and head off to bed since we got a busy day ahead of us tomorrow, Tetsuya. Here you go and I love you." Yuki said this as she gave Tetsuya a goodbye kiss. With that, Tetsuya went back towards his apartment and proceed to get ready for bed. " _It is hard to believe that tomorrow right around this time, Yuki will be living here with me. Seems like it was only yesterday that I met her and shortly after that fell in love with her. Now I am feeling happy about the progress our relationship is turning out. Not only I will be going through this transition but it's the one with Minato and Kushina that for some reason still concerns me the most._ " Tetsuya thought to himself before closing his eyes.

Then Tetsuya got up bright and early to head to work; by the time he had gotten there Shia was standing outside sweeping the front of the bakery. "I am presuming your dad is on his way with the moving truck, Shia." Tetsuya said with a curious look on his face. "That's right, Tetsuya. Why don't you go help my mom out to open the bakery until my dad gets here?" Shia said like she almost read what Tetsuya was about to say next. Tetsuya then proceeded to help Shiznae get the bakery ready for the day. An hour passes by before Tetsuya heard a motor coming from the back side of the bakery. "Oh, it sounds like Yosaki is back with the moving truck. Good luck out there, Tetsuya." Shiznae said with a smile on her face. Tetsuya thanked her as he headed towards Yuki's soon to be old room getting ready to Shia load Yuki's things onto the back of the moving truck.

"Man this cabinet seems to be pretty heavy. I'm glad that the moving truck was placed here instead of the front. Now it looks like we are almost done putting Yuki's things in the truck." Tetsuya said while carrying one end of Yuki's cabinet with Yosaki holding the other. Shia had a sigh under her breath as she was conducting them where to put the cabinet safely. Once the cabinet was put onto the truck is when Shia helped both Tetsuya and Yosaki strap Yuki's things tightly so that they would not fly off on route to Tetsuya's apartment. "Good we got everything out of Yuki's room in no time. So, are we ready to go to your apartment where can start unloading?" Yosaki said with a sigh of relief on his face. Tetsuya nodded his head yes and they were off to his apartment.

Once they reached his apartment, Tetsuya directed Yosaki and Shia to where he wants to put Yuki's things. The unloading process took a half hour at the very least and Yosaki was getting ready to leave since he had to return the moving truck to his friend. Then Tetsuya proceeded to say, "Yosaki, can you tell your friend if I can borrow the moving truck ten days from now?" "Yes, I will certainly tell him. What are you going to do now, Tetsuya?" Yosaki asked out of curiosity. Tetsuya then told Yosaki that he was going to have Shia help him clean off Yuki's thing and they would head back to the bakery once they got done. So, with that Yosaki left to return the moving truck and his friend agreed to Tetsuya's request.

It took only twenty minutes after Yosaki left that Tetsuya and Shia had cleaned up Yuki's thing to make it suitable for the apartment. "Yuki's going to love the decorating and cleaning we did for the apartment. Wouldn't you agree, Shia?" Tetsuya said while staring at the newly decorated apartment. "Yes, Tetsuya. I think we should head back to the bakery so not only you can finish your shift but us helping my mom out at the same time." Shia said with a smile on her face. With that both Tetsuya and Shia left for the bakery to see that plenty of customers were coming in so they had to sneak towards the back just that they can get inside.

"I'm surprised you guys are back already. Luckily the number of people coming in has died down. Here I have your apron out and ready to go, Tetsuya." Shiznae said as she was handing Tetsuya his apron. In that moment, Tetsuya had proceeded to finish out the remainder of his shift which lasted only four hours after returning to the bakery. During that time, Yosaki had returned and proceeded to close the bakery for the day. Before Tetsuya stepped out of the door to head to the tree in front of the shopping district, Yosaki had approached him and placed a hand on Tetsuya's shoulder.

"Tetsuya, I know this is going to be a tough transition once you head out that door. It will be something that my family has to get used to with Yuki not being here." Yosaki said his heart-felt message to Tetsuya. "I understand what you are saying. I will support Yuki in any way possible and promise you that she will come to see you guys very often. Because family is something that I value very most and the most important relationship that will never die." Tetsuya responded with reassurance in his face once had his foot on the door. With that, Tetsuya was on his way to the place where he was to meet Yuki.

Upon arriving at the tree in front of the shopping district, Tetsuya noticed that Yuki was already there waiting for him. "You ready to see my, rather I mean _our_ apartment and the renovations I made with it, Yuki?" Tetsuya said while holding Yuki's hand and a smile on his face. Yuki nodded her head yes and they proceed to walk towards their apartment. Along the way Tetsuya proceeded to say, "So, how was work today, Yuki?" "It was great and real busy as usual." Yuki said with a smile on her face. A few minutes later, Yuki and Tetsuya arrived at the apartment.

"This is amazing on the renovations you did with the apartment, Tetsuya. I love it a lot." Yuki stated her first impressions on the changes made to the apartment. Tetsuya with a smile on his face said, "I am glad to hear that. I know you must be real tired from work, so if you want to take a shower I placed your towels in the shelf below mine. While you do that, I will make your bed for you." Yuki thanked Tetsuya and gave him a kiss before she headed off to take a shower. "That was soothing for the type of shower you have, Tetsuya." Yuki said once she got out of the shower all dressed up in preparation for bed.

Tetsuya started to yawn and was proceeded to head toward the bedroom. "By the way, is there anything special you want me to make for breakfast?" Yuki asked while getting ready to lay down on the bed. "An omelet. Good night, Yuki." Tetsuya responded as he was about to close his eyes. Yuki said good night back to Tetsuya before looking up at the ceiling of the bedroom. " _Even though this the first night, but I am starting to feel happy. Anyways I better get to sleep so I don't show up for work all drowsy._ " Yuki thought to herself while staring at Tetsuya before she fell asleep. This was the beginning of an important milestone in Tetsuya and Yuki's relationship. However, there is one more major move that Tetsuya must help make a transition with which was about the two-people other than Yuki that he values to be important in his existence: Kushina, his older sister; and Minato, his brother-in-law and best friend.


	25. Preparations for Kushina's Birthday

25

Preparations for Kushina's Birthday

Tetsuya had woken up a few minutes than he usually does and walks into to the kitchen to see Yuki cooking him breakfast. "Good morning, Yuki. Did you find everything, ok?" Tetsuya asked once he reverted to the dining room. Yuki turned around with a smile proceeded to say, "Yes, I did Tetsuya. By the way there was something I wanted to tell you last night but did not have the chance to since we were tired and headed off to sleep." In that moment, Tetsuya was washing his hands up when Yuki said her response. "Does it have to do with the ordeal at the noddle shop?" Tetsuya said with a suspicious look on his face. "Yes, it was related to that. You see when I found out about what happened I started to get upset. I thought that you were hurt and it concerned me gravely." Yuki said with an honest look on her face. Suddenly, before getting ready to eat breakfast Tetsuya placed his hand on Yuki's and assured that everything is going to be alright.

"Oh man, I am going to be late for work. I didn't have time to pack myself lunch." Tetsuya said with a panicked look on his face after finishing his breakfast to check the time on his phone. Yuki then got up and pulled out a bento box from the fridge which she handed it to Tetsuya. "Thank you, Yuki. What about you?" Tetsuya said with a gleeful look on his face. "Don't worry. I made a bento box for myself as well." Yuki said while she was cleaning up the breakfast dishes. With that both Tetsuya and Yuki left the apartment for the bakery to start off Tetsuya's shift.

"I have an hour before I have to show up for work, Tetsuya. Do you mind if I visit with my family for a little while?" Yuki asked once she and Tetsuya stepped foot on the street where the bakery was located at. Tetsuya nodded his head yes and he felt happy in reassuring that he is keeping the end of his bargain of the promise he made to Yosaki the night before. Upon entering the bakery is when Tetsuya put on his apron while Yuki talked to her family before heading off to work. Once it got closer for Yuki's shift to work, Yuki told Tetsuya to have a good day and she will him immediately after work. That put a smile on Tetsuya's face and he started to open the bakery alongside Yosaki.

After opening the bakery, Tetsuya noticed there a sign above a pastry with the number nine on it. That was when he realized it was the number of days remaining before Kushina's birthday and the big move. It had plagued Tetsuya's mind for the first half of his shift which did not affect his work. By the time lunch break had rolled around Tetsuya proceeded to the dining room and started to eat the bento box Yuki made for him. "That was very sweet of Yuki to make a bento box." Shiznae said upon staring at the bento box. "Why thank you. Yuki did that just to make sure I had something to eat for lunch and not starve for the rest of the day." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face.

"Is something bothering you, Tetsuya? Because you looked a little concerned earlier when you saw that sign on the window." Shia asked out of concern while Tetsuya was halfway through eating his lunch. At that time, Yosaki had entered the room to grab a row of fresh pastries to be put in the store. Tetsuya then explained that it was the number of days left before Kushina's birthday and he was planning on showing Yuki the house. "So you are going to tell Yuki what is going on, Tetsuya?" Yosaki said once Tetsuya finished his explanation. "Yes, I must tell her before she starts to get real suspicious of my actions. However, I was going to surprise Yuki about the announcement on the day of the move. Now with my decision to tell her sooner would help make this surprise even more special." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face.

Once he put away the bento box, Tetsuya's phone started to ring and he looked at the caller identification to see that Minato was calling him. "Hello, buddy. How are you doing?" Tetsuya said once he hit send on his phone. "I am doing good. Just letting you know that I made the plan to celebrate Kushina's birthday the day before the move so everyone here can spend time with her before then. So, how was it with Yuki moving in yesterday?" Minato said on his end of the phone. "That's very good to hear with your plan. Well everything with Yuki moving in yesterday went great. You remember when I told you that I was surprising Yuki with this plan. I am going to show her the house after she gets off work; the reason is that I want to make the surprise having a different affect as opposed to telling her when we reveal it to Kushina." Tetsuya said with a calm voice. Minato understood what Tetsuya had to do and wished him the best of luck in surprising Yuki. Tetsuya thanked him and proceeded to tell him good luck with his plan before ending the phone conversation.

Putting away his phone is when Tetsuya went to the front counter and proceeded to start the second half of his shift. Business was booming during the final half of Tetsuya's shift, this made him more focused than earlier on since he got his mind off revealing Kushina's surprise gift to Yuki. Right as the bakery was closing for the day, Tetsuya noticed that Yuki was standing there outside waiting for him. Then Shiznae and Shia went outside with Tetsuya to greet Yuki. "Hi, Yuki. How was work?" Shia asked once she greeted Yuki. "Work was good just that we did have a busy rush unlike yesterday." Yuki responded with a smile on her face.

"Yuki, there is something I want to show you. You guys can come along too." Tetsuya said towards Yuki, Shiznae, and Shia. So, with that all three Sakagami girls followed Tetsuya in the direction of the house that Minato and Kushina are going to be living in. Upon glancing at the house is when Yuki said, "Why are we looking at this house, it is only four blocks north of the bakery?" "The reason why we are here looking at the house is how special it is going to be." Tetsuya responded with a calm look. "What do you mean by that, Tetsuya?" Shia asked out of curiosity. While staring at the house, Tetsuya looked up at the sky thinking of saying the right words until it dawned on him. "I mean is that this house is going to be occupied nine days from now. It is going to be a very special birthday present that I am going to surprise someone that is very dear to me." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face.

"Wait a minute. Don't tell me is it who I am thinking that it is?" Shia said with a shocked look on her face. Yuki was surprised after figuring out who Tetsuya was referring to. "Yes, it is Shia. The someone that I was referring to is none other than my sister, Kushina." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face and then noticed the surprised look Yuki had on her face. "Wait is this the same house you were telling me and Yosaki about a couple of days ago. It looks very nice, Tetsuya." Then Tetsuya proceeded to thank Shia and Shiznae for stopping by to see that house; before he and Yuki left for the apartment.

Entering the apartment is when Tetsuya's stomach started to growl and said, "What do you want for dinner, Yuki?" In that moment, Yuki pulled a package of sliced pork out of the fridge. "How about pork cutlets?" Yuki said with a smile on her face. Tetsuya nodded his yes before his stomach started to growl even louder. While Yuki was cooking dinner, Tetsuya had pulled out two cups and started to fill them with tea.

"Did you feel surprised about showing you that house earlier, Yuki?" Tetsuya said with a smile on his face while staring at Yuki who was cooking dinner. Yuki after putting the pork cutlets on the plate looked at Tetsuya and said, "Yes, I felt very surprised about the house and who was going to live in it. Tetsuya?" It was halfway through dinner when Tetsuya said, "What is it, Yuki?" "I was wondering. How did the idea about that house come to plan?" Yuki asked out of curiosity. It was in that moment, Tetsuya proceeded to tell Yuki how he and Minato had come up with the plan; including the arrangements on pulling it off and granting Kushina's wish.

While they were cleaning up dinner dishes, Yuki had asked about ideas on what to give Kushina for her birthday. Tetsuya after hearing all of Yuki's ideas immediately he said, "I think the apron idea is perfect. In terms on style of the apron would be one that has pockets on the front of it. Kushina will definitely love whatever apron you choose, Yuki." Then Yuki became happy that she got a present idea accepted. "Tetsuya, after hearing what you told me about the plan. It made me realize the time that we talked about bonds involving our families and how you mentioned your bond would one day be at its former strength. Now that time has come in full circle, you know. In turn that makes me happy that Kushina wants to be by her brother again. I think in some way that Kushina is somewhat like a sister to me." Yuki stated with a smile on her face. Then Tetsuya hugged Yuki and said, "I am glad that you feel that way towards Kushina. It means a lot to me. You're right, Yuki. My special bond with her has fully returned just like Minato said to me a few days ago."

After sitting down on the living room sofa for a while, Yuki started to feel tired and she proceeded to head off to bed. "Good night, Tetsuya." Yuki stated before heading into the bedroom. Tetsuya had said the same thing back to Yuki with a smile on his face. " _Since Yuki now knows about the plan me and Minato have devised. I need to come up with a plan on what Yuki and her family can do on that day when I head over to pick up Minato and Kushina with their things. More certainly, I hope the plan Minato told me earlier with having everyone in the Pure Land Leaf Village celebrating Kushina's birthday the night before works out without telling Kushina what is happening on her birthday._ " Tetsuya thought to himself before he got ready for bed.

Eight days had passed since Tetsuya revealed Yuki the house that Minato and Kushina are going to be moving into. Yuki did not have to work for the next couple of days so she helped around with the bakery while Tetsuya was working the counter. It came time for lunch break that Shiznae had cooked Yosaki, Shia, Tetsuya, and Yuki a big meal so that they could eat a light dinner later. "Is there anything that you want us to do while you get your sister and brother-in-law tomorrow, Tetsuya? The moving truck will be here tonight so you don't have to worry about getting it in the morning." Yosaki asked out of curiosity while everyone was halfway through eating their lunch.

"Alright, since I had taken some serious thought the past few days on how this plan is going to work. Yuki, I want you and your mother to head to the grocery store in getting essential needs. Since you know what Minato and Kushina like in regards to food, that is why I gave you that assignment. Shia, I want you to head over to the house and try to clean it to the best of your ability since my brother-in-law is very malicious about cleaning." Tetsuya addressed the plan to the Sakagami Family. They all agreed to it since Tetsuya knew that Yosaki was going to manage the bakery on his behalf.

Before getting up from the table, Shiznae gave Yuki a box containing an apron that was never used. Yuki then thanked her mother for the apron since she had told her a couple of days prior about the gift. A few hours after the lunch break was over the bakery closed for the day; then Tetsuya and Yuki left for the apartment. "Are you feeling nervous about tomorrow, Tetsuya?" Yuki asked while holding Tetsuya's hand. "I'm feeling a little nervous. Just that it is going to be a busy day for all of us tomorrow. Also, I must get up real early so that I don't end up getting into real heavy traffic. I wonder what Minato and Kushina are doing at this very moment." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Minato had gathered as many people he could to the back yard of the Sarutobi residence for Kushina's birthday party. "Thank you for coming by. Place your gifts on that table over there." Minato said this with each guest that came to the party. While the party was going on Minato had a couple of his volunteers to put his and Kushina's things in boxes. Hiruzen had approached to Minato and said, "What are you going to do about Kushina once this party gets done with, Minato?" "I was planning on having myself and Kushina stay at the inn until Tetsuya arrives tomorrow. After that, we will see what Tetsuya wants us to do. I will have someone preoccupy Kushina while Tetsuya is here." Minato responded honestly as he could.

"That sounds like a reasonable plan. Anyways, you better head over there to see what gifts Kushina received. Afterwards, we are going to bring out the cake my wife made." Hiruzen said in agreeing to Minato's plan. Minato had browsed at the gifts Kushina opened and was amazed on some of the things she got. Once the final gift was opened, Kushina thanked everybody for the gifts and the cake was brought out for everyone to eat.

With the last person leaving the party is when Minato asked Kushina to follow him. "Where are going, Minato? You know." Kushina said out of concern. Minato then explained to Kushina that they are staying at the inn as a present from Minato himself. Upon getting settled in Kushina decided to stay up since she was excited from the results of the party. " _If she plans on staying up, then Kushina would sleep through the ride to our new house. I hope she loves the surprise that me and Tetsuya are giving her for a present. Once we leave here tomorrow, a new transition will begin for us. I am starting to realize how Tetsuya felt when he headed over there three years ago._ " Minato thought to himself before going to sleep.


	26. Kushina's Memorable Birthday

26

Kushina's Memorable Birthday

Tetsuya had gotten up bright and early to head to the bakery where the moving truck was placed. "Have a safe trip, Tetsuya. We will be waiting at the house when you get back." Yosaki said when he gave Tetsuya the keys to the moving truck. Tetsuya reassured that he will be safe on the trip and notified Yosaki will be at the bakery within the hour. Once he got into the moving truck, Tetsuya started it up and was on his way to the Pure Land Leaf Village. " _Well I am on my way. At least the interior of this moving truck is very nice and has comfortable seat. No wonder why Yosaki has friends who own moving trucks._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he got out of the area and was on the highway that leads straight to the Pure Land Leaf Village.

Suddenly along the way Tetsuya had remembered there was a pit stop station halfway between his area and the Pure Land Leaf Village. Tetsuya had entered the station to get a cup of coffee and three pieces of sweet bread; then right as he was about to get into the truck again a message from Yuki popped up on his phone. Tetsuya notified Yuki of his location and stated that he will call her when he is on his way back. Then a few miles outside of the station is when Tetsuya placed his phone on the cup holder and dialed the number to the Sarutobi residence with his speaker phone.

"Good morning, Professor." Tetsuya said once the call had reached through. Hiruzen then responded by saying, "Good morning, Tetsuya. Are you on the way yet?" "Yes, I am about two hours away from the village. Is Minato near you by any chance if so can I speak to him just for a moment?" Tetsuya responded with clarity in his voice. On his end of the phone conversation, Hiruzen was looking for Minato who had gotten up and visited the Sarutobi residence. "He is here. Let me find him really quick and hand the phone to him." Hiruzen stated with a stern voice. Tetsuya then thanked Hiruzen and told him that he wasn't in a big rush so he could take his time to get Minato.

Hiruzen had found Minato sitting on the back porch and notified him that Tetsuya was on the phone requesting to speak to him. "Hello, Tetsuya. I was informed that you are less than two hours away from being here." Minato said once he picked up the phone. "I sure am, buddy. Listen to me very carefully bring all the belongings that you and Kushina have; make sure you have them by the entrance way to the village within the next hour and a half. By the way, how was the party yesterday?" Tetsuya stated in an honest tone. Then Minato had proceeded to tell Tetsuya the events from the night before.

"Before I hang up the phone, have you figured out a way to keep Kushina preoccupied not telling her that I am on the way?" Tetsuya said with a concern voice. "Yes, I have. Someone is at the inn occupying Kushina's time and when I pull them aside to tell them that you're here. That is when we are going to put a blindfold and soundproof ear muffs on Kushina. Even though she might end up sleeping through the entire trip but at least that is in case if she wakes up." Minato said an honest tone. With that Minato proceeded to say on ending the phone call that he will be anticipating Tetsuya's arrival. Tetsuya said the same thing back before hanging up the phone.

An hour and a half passed by then Tetsuya seen that the entrance way to the village was in sight. " _Well I see that Minato, the Sarutobis, Shikaku, and Inoichi standing there waiting for my arrival. Let me turn off the truck and put the keys in my pocket. Oh, I got to remember sometime on the way back to give Minato the keys to his new house._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he parked the moving truck right next to the entranceway. In that moment, everyone that was standing at the entranceway greeted Tetsuya once he got out of the truck. Tetsuya proceed to greet everyone right back once he opened the back of the truck. Suddenly, Tetsuya noticed that a couple of volunteers started to place Minato and Kushina's things in the back of the truck; he notified the volunteers to be careful when placing things on the truck.

"So, how was the trip to get here, Tetsuya?" the Sarutobis asked out of curiosity. "It was alright considering that the road is empty around the early morning hours. Minato, aren't you supposed to get Kushina? Anyways, how is everybody doing?" Tetsuya stated his response to everyone surrounding him and reminding Minato of his duty. Minato suddenly panicked and ran towards the inn to initiate his plan to quietly bring Kushina to the front of the moving truck. "Well we all are doing good, Tetsuya. I heard that you had quite a busy couple of weeks." Shikaku said in a stern voice.

"I suppose so. Since I was not only getting ready for today's events; but I don't know if Minato had mentioned this to you guys. About nine days ago, my girlfriend moved into the apartment where I reside at and she is living with me. Hard to believe but it's true and bringing her things over did not take long at all. As opposed to what is happening today, however I do have help down there getting everything ready hopefully it won't take long." Tetsuya said while placing his hand behind his head. This had surprised everyone standing around Tetsuya and were happy for him at the same time.

Upon finishing his catching-up conversation, Tetsuya noticed that the volunteers had placed everything in the truck and proceeded to close the back of the truck which he proceeded to thank them for their work. "Where is Minato, he was supposed to be here with Kushina by now?" Inoichi asked out of concern. Tetsuya was hoping that Minato did not get delayed on the way to doing a simple task. A few minutes passed by, then they noticed that Minato was approaching very carefully holding Kushina's hand since she was blindfolded. Tetsuya escorted them to the passenger's side of the truck and carefully placed Kushina in the back seat. Then, Minato shut the door and walked alongside Tetsuya towards the direction of the Sarutobis, Shikaku, and Inoichi.

"I guess this is where we say our goodbyes for now. It was nice to have lived in the village for the past few years with comrades and we thank you for that. You can visit us at any time." Minato said with a calm look on his face and went to the truck. Before walking back to the truck Tetsuya said to everyone nearby, "I will keep a very close eye on Minato and Kushina; that I promise you. Professor, I will be planning on calling you once I get done getting settling in both Minato and Kushina. Well I better get going before the pathway home gets congested." In that moment, everyone in the village waved goodbye as the moving truck was leaving the entranceway.

Not even a few miles outside of the village is when Kushina started to doze off to sleep comfortably in the back seat. Tetsuya who still had very little left in his cup of coffee and two things of sweet bread left in the cup holder was keeping his eye on the road. "If you want to there is a piece of sweet bread in the cup holder, Minato?" Tetsuya said in an offering tone towards Minato. Graciously Minato accepted Tetsuya's offer and ate only half of the bread so he would save the other for Kushina. Looking at the back of the truck Minato thought to himself, " _In just a few short hours Kushina your surprise gift from me and Tetsuya will be revealed._ "

Halfway through the journey back Tetsuya handed the house keys to Minato and proceeded to say to him, "I hope those ear muffs are sound-proof. Because I should call Yuki since I promised her that I would on the way back." Minato reassured to Tetsuya that the ear muffs are sound-proof and he looked at some of the sights that they were passing through. This put a sigh of relief for Tetsuya and proceeded to dial Yuki's number.

"Hello, sweetheart. I am just calling to notify you that we are on the way back." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face. Yuki responded back by saying, "That's good to hear, Tetsuya. By the way, we have everything ready to go and my dad is already here waiting for your arrival since he chose to close the bakery up earlier than expected." That made Tetsuya feel glad that every step of the plan concerning the Sakagami family turned out to be successful. "Tetsuya, I had a bento already made for you this morning but you left earlier than expected. I hope you did not eat more than one piece of sweet bread. Because I am planning on making a decent dinner later when you get back." Yuki said with a stern voice on the phone. Tetsuya apologized to Yuki about not grabbing a bento and admitting to eating two pieces of sweet bread. Then the phone called ended with Yuki telling Tetsuya that she can't wait for him to return and her love to him.

"Wow, I'm surprised that Yuki has started to get more concerned about you, Tetsuya. It's not a bad thing." Minato said in response to listening Tetsuya and Yuki's phone conversation. Tetsuya with a sigh under his breath said, "There is a good reason why she has been acting this way." In that moment, Tetsuya told Minato about the situation that happened with the noodle shop on Yuki's first night living with Tetsuya. "Kushina, if she would have found about this the day after. We know regardless if the manager stepped in or not she could have beaten the daylights out of that waiter." Minato said in response of hearing Tetsuya's situation. Tetsuya strongly agreed to Minato's statement.

With an hour left before reaching the destination, both Tetsuya and Minato heard the noises of Kushina waking up. "Did you get good enough sleep, Kushina?" Minato asked while he handed her the other half of the sweet bread he opened earlier. "Yes, Minato. I must have been real tired. Hmm…whatever you gave me just now tasted really good, you know." Kushina responded while taking off the ear muffs. Tetsuya who was still fixated on the road had a smile on his face hearing that Kushina woke up. "Minato, where are we?" Kushina started to get concerned when she felt the bumps of the moving truck. "We are on a very long trip and only a little while longer till we stop, Kushina." Minato said the first thing that came into his mind. That caused a sigh of relief for both Tetsuya and Minato. Until they had reached the new house, Minato repeatedly said the same thing to Kushina if she asked the question. Not even a block at the new house, Minato had placed the ear muffs back on Kushina's head.

Upon stopping at the new house, Tetsuya noticed that the Sakagami family was out there all ready to go. Realizing that they had to do something quick Tetsuya had quietly said, "Minato, can you help Yuki and her family bring in you and Kushina's things into the house. I'll preoccupy Kushina until then. Once you get done, come back out here and we will take off the blindfold. Also, tell Yuki's family that they can head on home once the unpacking is finished and ask her father that once we get out of the truck to return it." Minato agreed to the plan but he was concerned about what would happen once the blindfold will be taken off. "Don't worry about that. We will tell her to close her eyes until she enters the house. Go on, Minato." Tetsuya said as he was trying to rush Minato.

Once Minato got out of the truck he opened the back and told Yuki and her family the message that Tetsuya instructed him to give out. The Sakagami Family understood and proceeded to go along with the plan. " _Come on hurry up, guys. I don't know how much longer I can preoccupy Kushina._ " Tetsuya thought to himself in a panicked state. The unpacking process took around an hour after Tetsuya arrived with the moving truck.

"Alright you guys managed to done faster than I expected. Now Minato can you take off the ear muffs and get Kushina out of the truck. Because I need to tell Yuki something really quick and that her father can return the moving truck." Tetsuya said once Minato returned to the truck. Minato waited to take off the ear muffs until Yosaki moved the truck out of the way. "Yuki, can you do me a quick favor?" Tetsuya asked in a requesting matter. "Sure what is it, Tetsuya?" Yuki responded back with a smile on her face. Tetsuya told Yuki to hide behind the bush until he gives a signal for her to come out. So, Yuki went to the bush as planned and Tetsuya walked up towards Minato and Kushina.

In that moment, Minato placed the ear muffs in his pouch bag while he and Tetsuya were escorting Kushina inside the house. "Where are we, Minato?" Kushina asked one final time out of concern. "We are now at home, Kushina." Minato said with an honest voice. Then Tetsuya added in by saying, "He is telling you the truth, Sis." Suddenly, Kushina was shocked to hear Tetsuya's voice.

"Listen to me Kushina. I want you to keep your eyes closed once this blindfold is taken off." Minato said in a reassuring voice. Then Tetsuya proceeded to take off the blindfold and placed it in his pocket. "Are you sure that we are at home? Because it does not feel like it to me, you know." Kushina said with a nervous look on his face. That was when Tetsuya instructed Kushina to open her eyes. Once she opened her eyes Kushina's facial expression became gravely concerned.

Tetsuya then proceeded to say with a smile on his face, "Happy birthday, Sis." Kushina was still looking around and realizing that the things in the room were hers. "Surprise" Tetsuya and Minato said in unison. "What is going on?" Kushina said with a confused look on her face. Even though they said surprise, Tetsuya and Minato realized that one of them must tell Kushina what the real surprise is.

"Kushina, if you were wondering what the surprise gift that me and Tetsuya are referring to. Look at the piece of paper I am placing on your hand." Minato said as he placed the contract of the house in Kushina's hand. After taking a glance at the paper, Kushina with tears in her eyes looked at both Tetsuya and Minato. "Is this…*sniffle*the birthday gift for me from you and Tetsuya?" Kushina stated while trying to hold back the tears. "That's right, Kushina. This place is our new home and there is something special about it." Minato said with an honest voice.

Tetsuya with a big smile on his face looking at Kushina and said, "Minato's right about the last part of what he said, Sis. However, I have someone nearby that can help me out reveal the reason why your new house is special." In that moment, Tetsuya stepped out the front door and signaled Yuki to come out of the bush. Yuki with a gift in her hand came out of the bush and entered the house.

"Why is your girlfriend here, Tetsuya?" Kushina asked out of curiosity. Yuki then handed Kushina the gift containing the apron and thanked Yuki for the gift. "The reason that she is here because she is going to be the one explaining the special thing about living in this house." Tetsuya responded to Kushina's question. Yuki with a smile on her face looking at Kushina proceeded to say, "The special thing that Tetsuya has been talking about is that now you live in the same area as me and Tetsuya. This house is four blocks north of my family's bakery."

"*sniffle*You mean I now live in the same area as my little brother. *sniffles*" Kushina responded with tears rebuilding in her eyes. "That's right, Kushina. This house is the birthday gift that fulfilled the wish you told me a couple of weeks ago." Minato said with a smile on his face. Tetsuya then explained to Kushina that he knew about the wish and it was the reason why him and Minato suggested it as a birthday gift. "*sobs*Thank you, Tetsuya and Minato. This is the best surprise and birthday gift I ever had. My wish came true. *sobs*" Kushina stated while hugging Tetsuya and Minato prospectively.

Then Tetsuya and Yuki were about to head out of Minato and Kushina's new house before Yuki wanted to say something towards Kushina. "There is something I wanted to tell you before I go home, Kushina." Yuki said with a smile on her face. Tetsuya realized what Yuki was wanting to say and felt happy about it. Yuki told Kushina what she said to Tetsuya when she first found out about the house situation. Minato added on by saying, "Yuki was not the only one having that thought. Mostly everyone back at the village thought of the same thing including myself, Kushina." Kushina was shocked to hear this but Tetsuya nodded his head yes and that was the truth. That was when Kushina realized the special bond she had with her little brother returned to the very same level as it was when they were little children. Tetsuya smiled and hugged his sister when the realization finally dawned on her. Once Kushina came back into the house was when both Tetsuya and Yuki left for the apartment.


	27. The Day After Kushina's Birthday

27

The Day After Kushina's Memorable Birthday

Not even reaching the block out from the new house, Minato had stopped Tetsuya and Yuki. "We did a good job on surprising Kushina. At least she is happy now that she understood the situation, Tetsuya. For that I wanted to say thank you for making this all possible." Minato said with a smile on his face. Tetsuya who had pulled out a little piece of paper in his pocket handed it to Minato and said, "No problem. By the way the paper I just gave you is the phone number to your house. If you and Kushina ever need any help getting through this transition, you can talk to me or Yuki at any time. Before I forget, you do not have to worry about groceries Minato. The reason is that while I was on my way to get you guys; Yuki and her mother went to the grocery store for you and Kushina." Tetsuya stated with an honest voice.

Minato then thanked and agreed to Tetsuya's statement. Tetsuya before catching up to Yuki who had gone ahead of him told Minato that he might stop by tomorrow when his shift at the bakery gets done. With that Minato went back inside the new house and seeing that Kushina was wiping off the tears from her eyes. "Minato, did you forget something outside?" Kushina said once Minato entered the house. "Not really, Kushina. Just that I wanted to thank Tetsuya for his cooperation in making your birthday special. He handed me this piece of paper which has our new phone number and told me that we do not need to worry about getting groceries. Also, he said he might stop by tomorrow once he gets off work." Minato responded with an honest voice.

"That was very thoughtful of my little brother planning these things ahead of time, you know. Let me see what I can cook us for dinner to not only commemorate my birthday but our first night at our new home." Kushina said with a smile on her face and walked towards the kitchen so she could start preparing dinner. Minato proceeded to start sorting out his and Kushina's belongings in a way where it can be easily recognized. "How come Tetsuya did not want to join us for dinner, Minato?" Kushina asked out of curiosity. Then Minato explained to Kushina about the phone conversation Tetsuya had with Yuki on the return trip.

Meanwhile, Tetsuya and Yuki had walked past the bakery to notice that Yuki's family was standing outside. "So, how did it go?" Yosaki asked in relation to the surprise reveal. Then Tetsuya proceeded to tell Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia about the outcome when Kushina's surprise was revealed to her. "That is wonderful to hear, Tetsuya. Do you and Yuki want to come inside for dinner?" Shia said in response to hearing Tetsuya's statement. "Thanks for the offer, but Yuki had planned on us having dinner at the apartment." Tetsuya said with an honest look on his face.

Then Tetsuya and Yuki said their goodbyes to her family and will see them again tomorrow, which they headed back to the apartment. "I had forgot to mention this earlier to you, Tetsuya. While me and my mom were at the grocery store, I decided to get our groceries as well since we were running low on a few things. That is the reason why I wanted to cook us dinner tonight." Yuki said while she and Tetsuya were nearing the apartment. Tetsuya thanked Yuki for being kind enough to do that and they entered the apartment. Yuki then immediately went to the kitchen glancing at the refrigerator. "So, what are you making for dinner tonight Yuki?" Tetsuya asked once he sat down in the dining room table. "Does rice with a couple slices of beef on top work for you?" Yuki said upon shutting the fridge door. Tetsuya agreed to Yuki's idea before their stomachs started to growl.

While Yuki was cooking dinner, Tetsuya proceeded to call Hiruzen to notify him that Minato and Kushina are settled in their new home and gave him their phone number in case if he ever wanted to talk to them. "I wonder what Minato and Kushina are doing right now." Yuki said with a wondrous look on her face as she put the food on plates. "My guess is that they must be eating dinner as well, Yuki. I hope everything is going alright over there." Tetsuya stated with an optimistic look on his face. Yuki assured to Tetsuya that he has nothing to worry about. "Here you go, dinner is served." Yuki said as she handed Tetsuya his plate and sat down with her plate in the dining room.

Partway through eating dinner, Tetsuya's eyes were struggling to keep open and almost dropped his food. "Are you ok, Tetsuya?" Yuki asked out of concern. "I am alright, Yuki. It's that I am starting to feel worn out after all the traveling and help I did today." Tetsuya responded once he finished his plate. Once they had got done cleaning up the dinner dishes, Yuki proceeded to sit in the living room sofa reading a book while Tetsuya went to take a shower.

After getting out of the shower, Tetsuya went to the living room and sat right next to Yuki on the sofa. "What are you reading, Yuki?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. "Well it's a recipe book I bought at the store today. It has some interesting recipes that we should try out sometime, Tetsuya." Yuki responded with a smile on her face. Tetsuya then laid his head-on Yuki's shoulder and he fell asleep. " _You must have been that tired, Tetsuya. Maybe I should grab the blanket that is on top of the sofa while placing this nearby pillow on his head. *yawns* I am starting to feel tired myself._ " Yuki thought to herself while grabbing two pillows that were on the sofa and placed the blanket on Tetsuya after moving his head off her shoulder. In that moment, Yuki got ready for bed and she fell asleep on the other sofa in the living room.

The following morning, Tetsuya had woken up to see that Yuki was still asleep on the other sofa. "Yuki, wake up. You're going to be late for work. I will make our bento boxes, go on get ready for work." Tetsuya nudged Yuki's shoulder trying to wake her up. Yuki then panicked and did what Tetsuya told her to do. Before heading into the bedroom Yuki said, "What about you, Tetsuya? Shouldn't you be ready for work as well before my dad panics why you had shown up yet." Tetsuya reassured Yuki that he will get ready once he got done putting final preparations on their bento boxes. After they got ready, both Yuki and Tetsuya left their apartments to head off to work. "Have a good day at work, Yuki." Tetsuya said once they reached the intersection where the bakery and kissed her goodbye while she went to the noodle shop. Yuki wished Tetsuya to have a good work day and to not cause trouble for her family.

Meanwhile, Minato and Kushina had just got done eating breakfast on their first full day living in the new house. "So, what do you want to do today, Kushina?" Minato said the first thing that came on his mind. "Well I was thinking on doing a little redecoration of the house and putting away the gifts I received the other night, you know. Other than that, I got nothing else going on today, Minato. Was there something you wanted to do today?" Kushina said with a calm look on her face. Minato gave it some thought and he said, "I was planning on stopping by to visit Tetsuya while he was at work. I think it's a great idea to redecorate the house, Kushina. Since Tetsuya said he was going to stop by later, that will give him something to look forward to."

"Ok, Minato. Once you see Tetsuya can you tell him that I said hello and I am looking forward to his visit later. By the time you get back this house will be perfect with the Kushina-touch on decorations. Be safe and I love you." Kushina said to Minato before he walked out of the house. Minato assured his safety and to tell Tetsuya the message once he sees him. " _I hope not to embarrass Tetsuya with my presence at his work. There is a possibility that I might come back with a special treat for Kushina since she is putting forth effort into making our house looking nice._ " Minato thought to himself while he was a few feet away.

Tetsuya had arrived to work right as Yosaki was about to open the bakery. "You made it on time, Tetsuya. I thought you would be here a little earlier." Yosaki uttered while he was putting up the open sign. "I know but Yuki slept in and she was almost late for work. So, I had to make our lunches and hurried to get here." Tetsuya stating his explanation while getting the apron on. Yosaki had figured that would be the reason why and proceeded to head back to the kitchen to make more pastries. With a smile on his face, Tetsuya got ready to start his shift and making sure everything was organized properly in the way that Shiznae has it.

Right as he got back to the counter, Tetsuya noticed that the Fujibayashi sisters were coming into the bakery. "May I help you with something, Kyou and Ryou?" Tetsuya greeted the Fujibayashi sisters upon their entrance. Kyou was glancing around to see if there were any special deals on certain pastries. "Not really, Tetsuya. We are looking around to find decent pastries. It has been a while, how have you been?" Ryou asked with a wondrous look on her face. Immediately, Tetsuya explained to Ryou how he was busy moving Yuki into his apartment and getting her settled in. Shiznae who had popped her head out to see how Tetsuya was doing uttered about a couple of great deals on a few pastries.

With that in mind, Kyou had stacked a plate full of pastries and placed it on the counter for Tetsuya to bag them in. "Wow that is a lot of pastries, Kyou. Is it for you guys and Botan?" Tetsuya asked while placing the pastries into the bag. Kyou nodded her head in a yes fashion on the response to Tetsuya's question. Right after putting the last pastry into Kyou's bag, Tetsuya started to feel nervous.

"Why are you acting all nervous, Tetsuya?" Kyou asked out of concern. The reason that Tetsuya was nervous is because he had noticed that Minato was entering the bakery. "Well it's that I am feeling a little bit nervous; since it is the first time you have ever seen me work here." Tetsuya stated with a hesitant look on his face. In that moment, Minato was looking around the front part of the store not realizing that Tetsuya had seen him a few seconds' prior.

Tetsuya proceeded to tell the Fujibayashi sisters thanks for buying pastries and have a nice day. Not even taking a few steps away from the counter, Ryou recognized Minato and proceeded to introduce him to Kyou. "I thought you already left from visiting here a couple of weeks ago." Ryou stated out of curiosity. Realizing what was going on Tetsuya said, "There was something I forgot to tell you and Kyou. You see Minato and Kushina are now living in this area since yesterday." Then the Fujibayashi sisters before leaving the bakery gave Minato a welcome as part of officially living in the area now.

Yosaki had walked into the front of the bakery to restock up on pastries and noticed that Tetsuya was nervous because of who was standing in front of him. "Minato, was it. How did your first night living in this area turn out?" Yosaki stated with curiosity on his face. Then Minato proceeded to tell Yosaki that it was good. "Tetsuya is the best worker I got here and he tends to be very focused on any task that I give him. I see that you found our bestselling pastry and have only two of them." Yosaki uttered to Minato giving praises on Tetsuya's work.

"Oh are you ready for me to put those pastries into a bag? Sorry if I acted nervous because it was a surprise for you to see me while I am on my shift, Minato." Tetsuya said while getting ready to pull out a bag. In that moment, Yosaki left to head back to the kitchen area in preparing his family lunch not before saying, "I'm giving you a half hour on lunch break, Tetsuya. Shia will cover for you." Tetsuya then walked away from the counter after putting the pastries in a bag for Minato. So, Tetsuya walked towards the playground bench to eat his lunch at but Minato decided to sit right next to him.

"How come Kushina did not accompany you, Minato?" Tetsuya said while taking a bite out of his bento. "She wanted to redecorate the house in a unique way. So, I decided to come see you, Tetsuya. I bought the pastries as a treat for Kushina; by the way she is looking forward to seeing you here after a while. Well I better get going, see you later." Minato uttered while heading back to the house. Tetsuya had a smile on his face upon hearing Minato's statement and proceeded to finish his lunch.

Upon re-entering the bakery, Tetsuya noticed that a customer was standing there waiting for someone to put a pastry order in a bag and he rushed to help that customer out. "Thank you. Have a nice day." Tetsuya stated to the customer after putting the pastry order into the bag. In regards to the second half of Tetsuya's shift, business was booming until closing time. Tetsuya while putting his apron away had deep thought, " _I really don't know how long I am going to spend at Minato and Kushina's house. Despite that Yuki has a long shift at work and I don't want her feeling concerned if she gets back to the apartment before I do. With that in mind, I better hold off on dinner until Yuki gets back from work._ " A few seconds later, Tetsuya waved goodbye to the Sakagami family and went on his way towards Minato and Kushina's house.

Minato was reading through a book while waiting on Kushina to get done making dinner; before he heard a knock on the door. "Oh you came, Tetsuya." Minato greeted Tetsuya after he opened the door. Suddenly, Tetsuya was amazed on the redecorations that Kushina made to the house and walked towards the kitchen to greet his sister. "I see you were impressed with the way I decorated the house, Tetsuya. How was work, Minato told me that you got nervous when he showed up?" Kushina stated while preparing her and Minato's dinner. Tetsuya proceeded to tell her that it was very busy after Minato left and he took a seat on the dining room table.

"How long are you going to be here for?" Minato stated the curious question to Tetsuya. Immediately, Tetsuya explained to Minato and Kushina about the thought he had earlier which they understood completely. "There was something I wanted to ask but it slipped out of my mind." Tetsuya uttered out while Kushina was placing her and Minato's dinner on the table. Suddenly, halfway through the dinner Tetsuya proceeded to say, "I remember what I was going say earlier. Since I did not get to fully celebrate your birthday with you, Kushina. I was thinking how about we have some brother-sister bonding time tomorrow to commemorate it. I will do whatever you want to do tomorrow."

Kushina had given it some though and said, "Sure, little brother. Since we barely had time to celebrate it yesterday and I knew that you were tired from all the traveling you did. What about Yuki?" Tetsuya then explained to Kushina that for the next two days Yuki has the long shifts at work. After Kushina cleaned up dinner dishes, she brought Tetsuya and Minato to living room to sit down. "Tetsuya, I forgot to show you the gifts I got the other day from our old friends. Let me bring them out right now, you." Kushina stated while she was getting up to grab the gifts she received. Upon glancing at all the gifts Kushina got for her birthday, Tetsuya with a smile said, "Those are very nice gifts, Kushina. I really like the way how everybody had put great though in giving them to you."

Upon looking at the time, Tetsuya started to get up from the sofa and was getting ready to leave the house. "I suppose you better head back to your apartment before Yuki gets concerned about your whereabouts. So, are you coming here in the morning to get me or do you want me to meet you at your apartment?" Kushina stated before Tetsuya stepped out of the door. "I will plan on coming here in the morning to pick you up, Sis. Goodbye Minato and Kushina. See you guys tomorrow." Tetsuya waved goodbye while hugging Kushina.

Sometime later, Tetsuya returned to the apartment seeing that Yuki has not returned yet and he started to find something to prepare for dinner. Pulling out what Tetsuya was planning on making for dinner he noticed that Yuki just walked into the door. "Hello, Yuki. How was work?" Tetsuya stated while kissing Yuki who walked into the kitchen. Yuki explained that her work day was rough and busy as usual. "You look worn out, Yuki. I will make dinner and you go take a shower. By then dinner should be ready." Tetsuya said while noticing the tired look Yuki had. "Thank you, Tetsuya. That is very sweet of you." Yuki uttered before getting her things to get ready for her shower.

The dinner that Tetsuya was making ended up being the Tetsuya Special and managed to get it cooked right as Yuki got out of shower. "Dinner's about done, Yuki. It is my famous special dish." Tetsuya stated with a smile on his face. Then Yuki headed to the dinner table and started to eat dinner alongside with Tetsuya. "How was your day, Tetsuya? If you don't mind me asking." Yuki stated with a curious look on her face after taking a few bites of her dinner.

In that moment, Tetsuya explained about how Minato had shown up at the bakery and his visit to Minato and Kushina's house. "I'm glad that they are enjoying living here in the area. What are you going to do on your day off from work, Tetsuya?" Yuki stated another curious question to Tetsuya. Then he told Yuki how he is going to spend time with Kushina to honor her birthday between the two of them. "I am happy that you are doing something that special for your sister. Sorry if I kept talking while eating dinner." Yuki said in a calm tone. "It's ok, Yuki. There is nothing wrong with asking me curious questions. Just that I am glad that you are happy for me." Tetsuya uttered with a smile on his face as he finished his dinner.

Once Yuki who had felt refreshed from the shower earlier finished her dinner, she proceeded to clean up the dishes while Tetsuya took himself a shower. "If you're looking for extra soap, Tetsuya. I placed it in the cabinet underneath the sink." Yuki shouted to Tetsuya who had the shower water running. Tetsuya thanked Yuki for saying that because he literally ran out of soap in that very moment. A few moments passed by, Tetsuya got out of the shower and noticed that Yuki was deeply reading the recipe book she had read the night before.

"Have you found any interesting recipes, Yuki?" Tetsuya uttered while looking over Yuki's shoulder. "Well I found at least five recipes that I think we should try out. Since we have the right ingredients for those recipes. However, the third recipe is something I want us to make together first since it appealed me the most." Yuki stated after she pointed out the recipe. Tetsuya glanced at the recipe and though it was interesting and very simple to make based on the cooking instructions. That put a smile on Yuki's face as she was looking at Tetsuya.

Then, Tetsuya and Yuki yawned after Yuki closed the recipe book. "I'm tired, Tetsuya. Let's try going to bed in our bedroom instead of the sofas. Because it felt irritating to sleep on these sofas." Yuki said with honesty. "I strongly agree with you on that point, Yuki. It was hard since I had to move the pillow every half hour last night. Anyways, I'm off to bed." Tetsuya stated while he was heading to the bedroom. Yuki a few minutes later went to the bedroom to sleep since she had another long day of work tomorrow.


	28. Tetsuya and Kushina's Bond

28

The Uzumaki Siblings' Memorable Bonding Day

Tetsuya had gotten up earlier than usual and walked into the kitchen to prepare Yuki's bento for the day. A few minutes later, Yuki started to wake up and got ready for work. "Good morning, sweetheart. Here you go and have a good day at work. I love you." Tetsuya uttered as he handed Yuki her bento and kissed her before she headed off to work. However, Tetsuya took his time to get ready for the special day he had in store with Kushina. Remembering to lock up the apartment, Tetsuya was on his way to Minato and Kushina's house.

"Minato, what are you going to do while I am out with my little brother today?" Kushina asked while she was getting done making breakfast. Minato in a calm tone said, "Nothing really. Just I am planning on finishing up unpacking our things." That put a smile on Kushina's face as she and Minato started eating breakfast. Halfway through eating breakfast, there was a knock on their door. "That must be Tetsuya. I will go get the door." Minato said while getting up to open the door.

Tetsuya greeted Minato at the door and proceeded to sit on the living room sofa. "Sorry if I had interrupted breakfast." Tetsuya stated in an apologetic tone. "It's alright, Tetsuya. We were just about done eating breakfast. Give me a few minutes to get ready and we will head out." Kushina said once she got ready to clean up breakfast dishes. While he was waiting on Kushina to get ready, Tetsuya had stumbled upon a book on the living room table. Right as Tetsuya was putting the book back on the table Kushina was already to go have brother-sister bonding time. With that Tetsuya and Kushina left the house to walk in the direction of the shopping district.

"What is the first thing you want do, Sis? There are plenty of options here at the shopping district to choose from." Tetsuya stated to Kushina once they reached the shopping district. Kushina then pointed out that there was a fabric store nearby and wanted to see if they had any knitting material. "I see you are still into knitting things and fixing clothes. I don't know if Yuki knows how to knit or fix any clothing. Sis, if she does not know about what I said is there any way you can teach her how?" Tetsuya uttered while Kushina was getting ready to pay for the material she needed. Upon leaving the fabric store Kushina responded back by saying, "I will be more certainly to help if that is the case, you know."

A few minutes passed by before Tetsuya suggested a place for him and Kushina to eat lunch and the place was a barbecue restaurant across the street from Yuki's work. "Hmm…this is a lot different from the place that I took Yuki on our first date. However, I wanted to make it special for you, Sis." Tetsuya stated to Kushina as they entered the barbecue restaurant. "That is very nice of you for all of the things we had done so far today." Kushina said with a smile on her face. Then a waiter proceeded to take the orders that Tetsuya and Kushina wanted with gratitude.

While waiting for their order to come, Tetsuya had his head down while looking across the street to see the noodle shop being busy. "What's wrong, Tetsuya? You look sad." Kushina stated while looking at Tetsuya and placed her hand on his. "I'm worried about how the people that Yuki works with are treating her. Sis, to tell you the truth I think she is getting gravely concerned not only about her work more importantly me. I mean every time she comes home from work; she looks tired and I think she is overstressed. It is to the point even though I am trying my best to support her but I honestly don't know what to do anymore." Tetsuya uttered once he looked at Kushina. Realizing what Tetsuya just said, Kushina had to find the right words to make assure her brother can feel better.

"I understand what you are trying to say, little brother. But please do not lose your support and faith in your relationship. Look I felt the same way about Minato, after a while it made me realize that everything was going to be ok and fully supported with his decisions. It is a woman's intuition to put her priorities for the ones she loves at certain times over other responsibilities. How did this even come about? You and Yuki are a great couple but why have this tense concern feeling." Kushina stated her response to Tetsuya's situation.

Tetsuya then said, "*sighs* It all started on the night that Yuki moved in with me. I had gotten off work and wanted to eat at the noodle shop while waiting for her to get off work. The service had been busy and asked a waiter about the long wait. That waiter decided to give me a snotty attitude when he answered my question. I did not like the attitude that he gave me and I had gotten angry because of that. Luckily, I had notified the manager before I would cause a scene in knocking that waiter's lights out. When Yuki found out about this, she started to get very concerned about me and I had to assure her everything was alright a few days after the situation." Right as their orders came to the table, Kushina had a baffled look on her face based on Tetsuya's response.

"It seems that Yuki is like how I was when we were younger and how you were after I fell in love with Minato, you know. Anyways we better eat this food before it gets cold on us." Kushina stated with a calm look on her face. In that moment, Tetsuya and Kushina ate their lunch and left the barbecue restaurant. "Is there anything else you want to do, Sis?" Tetsuya said with a smile on his face. Kushina suggested that they should head back to the house before early evening. Tetsuya agreed to the idea with him and Kushina who had the bag full of knitting material in her hand left the shopping district for Kushina's house.

Once they had reached the house, Tetsuya and Kushina noticed that Minato was sitting on the sofa reading a book. "Oh, you guys are back. How did your bonding time go?" Minato stated once Tetsuya and Kushina entered the living room. "It went great. Kushina got herself some knitting material at a fabric store and we had a good lunch. I see you managed to finish unpacking your belongings, Minato." Tetsuya uttered with honesty in his voice. Minato then had a smile on his face while he watched Kushina pull the knitting material out of the bag. A few seconds later, Kushina had pulled a piece of torn off clothing and started to knit it back together.

Suddenly as Minato was going to pull out three glasses to make tea for him, Tetsuya, and Kushina a knock came on the door. "I'll see who it is." Tetsuya stood up from the sofa to check to see who was at the door. Upon further glancing, Tetsuya had a concerned look on his face and he opened the door immediately. "Yuki, you don't look well at all. Here come on inside and take a seat." Tetsuya uttered once he seen Yuki standing at the door with a dazed look on her face. Minato then fixed a glass of water and gave it to Tetsuya so he could give it to Yuki. Kushina had stopped knitting to see what is going on and she felt very concerned.

"Yuki, what's wrong? Here take a sip of water." Tetsuya asked with a panicked look on his face. "It's…. that my body is starting to handle the stresses I deal with a busy work schedule and trying my best to support us, Tetsuya." Yuki uttered after taking a sip of water. Kushina then proceeded to help Tetsuya comfort Yuki while Minato was fixing the tea from earlier. Tetsuya was baffled at first why Kushina was helping him until he realized what she had said to him back at the barbecue place made sense.

Sometime later, Yuki had regained her composure and looked at Tetsuya with a wondrous look on her face. "What is it, Tetsuya?" Kushina stated with curiosity on her face. "It seems the conversation we had earlier today made sense in what you were telling me, Sis." Tetsuya stated with a calm look on his face. In that moment, Tetsuya shifted towards his focus on Yuki and began to say, "Yuki, you are putting way too much stress on yourself. I have noticed it a lot ever since the shop put you on those real long hours. Please don't put that kind of pressure on yourself or you can end up like how you showed up here. I want to do my best for you and being supportive as I can be."

Minato had brought the glasses of tea and gave it to Tetsuya and Kushina who placed them on the living room table. "Sorry if I had scared you, Tetsuya. I will try to talk to my boss and see if he can reduce the number of hours I can work. This is the first time I heard about your gravest concern about me." Yuki uttered while finishing her glass of water and looking at Tetsuya who took a sip of tea. Kushina patted Tetsuya's shoulder and told him how proud she was on handling the situation. Tetsuya then expressed his thanks for Kushina saying that and for spending time with him today.

Yuki then noticed the knitting material on the table and had a wondrous look on her face. "Have you ever knitted or tried fixing a piece of clothing before, Yuki?" Tetsuya stated who looked at Yuki staring at Kushina's knitting material. In that moment, Kushina proceeded to get back into knitting up pieces of torn up clothing. "Not that I can recall, Tetsuya." Yuki responded to Tetsuya's question. Tetsuya had figured Yuki would say that and proceeded to tell her that if she ever wanted to learn how to knit that Kushina is the right person to ask. Kushina nodded her head yes as she overheard the conversation.

Before long, Tetsuya had noticed the time and he was about to leave the house with Yuki. "Goodbye, Kushina and Minato. See you guys later." Yuki uttered as she was trying to catch up to Tetsuya. Kushina waved goodbye and thought to herself, " _Thank you, little brother. I realize that in some ways you are just like me. Anyways, I better start making dinner for me and Minato._ " Once Kushina entered back into the house, Minato had a smile on his face and expressed how similar Tetsuya was to her. "I guess it's a brother-sister thing to have similar feelings to those that we love dearly, you know." Kushina uttered once she went into the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Tetsuya and Yuki made it back to their apartment realizing that they have not ate dinner yet. Upon pulling out the recipe book Tetsuya said, "How about we try out that recipe that you were pointing out to me the other night, Yuki?" Then Yuki nodded her head in agreement and proceeded to put on an apron. This had put smiles on both Tetsuya and Yuki's faces since it was the first time that they got to make something together for dinner. " _While making this dinner alongside with Yuki, I realize that we make a great team as a couple. This is something that I had long hoped for. The dream I had long ago is starting to come true and Yuki is the woman of my dreams. She is someone that I truly want to spend my eternity in the afterlife with._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while laying down in bed later that night.


	29. The Winding Proposal

29

The Winding Proposal

Nine months had passed since Minato and Kushina moved into the area Tetsuya resides at. During that time span, everything was going smoothly with Tetsuya and Yuki's relationship had fully blossomed; Minato and Kushina were fully adjusted into the area. On an ordinary day, Tetsuya once he got done with work asked if he could talk to Yosaki and Shiznae in private. Baffled on what was going on both Yosaki and Shiznae went to the kitchen where they could have their private conversation with Tetsuya.

"What did you want to tell us in private, Tetsuya?" Yosaki stated with a suspicious look on his face towards Tetsuya. In that moment, Tetsuya had stumbled on finding the right words to respond towards Yosaki's question. Shiznae with a curious look on her face started to wonder what Tetsuya wanted to discuss with them in private. "I was wanting your guys' blessing on something very important to me. Do you guys mind if I ask your daughter's hand in marriage?" Tetsuya stated without hesitation. Yosaki then responded back by saying, "Tetsuya, you can have me and Shiznae's blessing. Remember that time you asked for Yuki to live with you, those same words apply here as well. Even though it's been a little over a year since you started dating Yuki and now it has come to this. It feels like you have been a part of this family the entire time. All I am saying is yes." Shiznae started to have a tear in her eye upon hearing Tetsuya's statement and agreed to every word that Yosaki said. Tetsuya proceeded to hug both of Yuki's parents and thanked them for their blessing.

Tetsuya had already picked out the engagement ring two days' prior of having the conversation with Yuki's parents and placed the box containing the ring in his pocket after the conversation. Not even taking a few steps away from the bakery, Tetsuya had noticed Minato was standing there right in front of him. "Oh, I didn't expect to see you here, Minato. However, it is the perfect opportunity to tell you something if you don't mind while we take a stroll back to your house." Tetsuya stated to Minato who was staring at him.

Minato agreed and he walked alongside Tetsuya in the direction of his house. "What is it that you wanted to tell me, Tetsuya?" Minato asked with a curious look on his face. Tetsuya then pulled out the box containing the ring from his pocket and Minato had a wondrous look on his face. "Do not tell Kushina yet for what I am about to show you." In that moment, Tetsuya opened the box to reveal the engagement ring and Minato had a surprised look on his face. "That's right, Minato. I am going to propose to Yuki tonight over a special dinner at the spot where we had our first date. Before talking to you, I had received both of her parents' blessing for this decision." Tetsuya stated with a courageous look on his face. Minato then hugged Tetsuya and had a smile on his face before walking into the front porch of his house. "I will call you to tell you how everything went once I get done with it." Tetsuya stated in a reassuring voice before heading off to the barbecue restaurant.

Tetsuya had reached to the barbecue restaurant noticing that Yuki was standing there waiting for him. In taking notice of the outfit that Yuki was wearing, Tetsuya complimented how the outfit looked on Yuki. That put a smile on Yuki's face and they proceeded to enter the barbecue place. "Is it only you two?" The waitress at the restaurant asked Tetsuya and Yuki. They nodded their heads in a yes fashion and were escorted to a table in the very back of the restaurant. " _This is the perfect spot. Now I am going to wait a while before popping the question to Yuki. Speaking of that I am starting to get nervous even thinking about it._ " Tetsuya thought to himself with a nervous look on his face.

After telling the waiter what they wanted to order, Yuki started to get suspicious into why Tetsuya wanted to eat dinner here. Tetsuya's nervousness faded way while he was clinching his hand onto the pocket where the ring was. Just before Yuki could say anything the food that was ordered had shown up onto the table. Yuki's suspicious feeling was still there even after she got done eating dinner and looked at Tetsuya with that look on her face. Tetsuya started to wonder why Yuki was giving him that look during the duration of their dinner. "Tetsuya, what made you choose this place for dinner?" Yuki stated her suspicion. "This was the place where we went on our first date and that was one of the many special memories we had together. However, there will be another special memory made here tonight." Tetsuya stated with an honest look on his face.

This made Yuki wonder what was Tetsuya talking about while trying to get up from the table. In that moment, Tetsuya was already standing away from the table had gotten on one knee and proceeded to pull the box out of his pocket. Now Yuki was starting to get concerned in what Tetsuya was doing. Without hesitation in his voice Tetsuya proceeded to say, "Yuki Sakagami, I love you with all of my heart. I want to spend all my days with you by my side. Will you marry me?" Suddenly, Yuki had a joyous look on her face and responded by saying, "Yes, I will marry you Tetsuya Uzumaki. That is a very pretty ring." After hearing Yuki's response, Tetsuya had a big smile on his face as he proceeded to put the engagement ring on Yuki's finger and immediately hugged her. Before leaving the restaurant, Yuki had asked Tetsuya when will the marriage take place and he responded saying in six months.

Then both Tetsuya and Yuki held hands from the time they left the restaurant until they got to the apartment. "I am so happy right now. I can't wait to tell my family about this, Tetsuya." Yuki said with a smile to her fiancé. Upon sitting on the sofa, Tetsuya pulled out his cell phone and this made Yuki curious. "Who are you planning on calling, my love?" Yuki asked out of curiosity. Tetsuya responded with telling Yuki only a few people since she realized that he was going to reveal the news. That did not pose to be a problem since this was a big deal.

The first call that Tetsuya made was to Minato and Kushina. "Hello, Minato. Can you put me on speaker phone if Kushina is nearby you?" Tetsuya said once he heard Minato's voice on the phone. Minato then signaled Kushina to come nearby the phone and she had a wondrous look on her face. "What is it that you wanted to tell us?" Kushina said once she sat right next to Minato. Before he could say anything, Tetsuya was scooted aside to Yuki who could not hold in her excitement for much longer. "Kushina, your brother proposed to me tonight and we are going to get married." Yuki said on the phone.

Upon hearing this, Minato expressed his congratulations on the news while Kushina had a shocked look on her face. A few seconds later, Minato proceeded to end the phone call since he noticed that there was an uneasy feeling. "Kushina, what's wrong?" Minato stated with deep concern on his face. "*sobs*I know I am happy to hear the news on Tetsuya and Yuki being an engaged couple, you know. This is very emotional for me now that my little brother is going to get married. It seems that I got to realize more so now than ever that Tetsuya has grown up right before my eyes. Sorry if I caused you any concern, Minato." Kushina stated with tears and honesty in her face. Minato understood what Kushina meant and realized that this was the dream that Tetsuya had mentioned to him long ago.

Then the second call that Tetsuya wanted to make was to Hiruzen which he did not want to put on speaker. "Hello, Professor. There is something very important I want to tell you." Tetsuya responded once the phone call went through. "Oh, hello Tetsuya. This is a surprise for you to call me at this hour. Anyways, what is it that you want to tell me?" Hiruzen stated with curiosity in his voice. Tetsuya then explained to Hiruzen on how he proposed to Yuki and is planning on getting married. "Congratulations, Tetsuya. When is the wedding?" Hiruzen asked another curious question. "Six months from today. You can notify the others, Professor. I will give details on where the wedding is to take place and the other information once it gets closer to the date. Thank you for the congratulations." Tetsuya stated as he was about to end the phone conversation.  
After having the phone conversation with Tetsuya, Hiruzen took a step outside on his back porch looking at the endless sky with a calm look on his face and realizing that the dream Tetsuya told him long ago was coming true. "Who was that on the phone, Hiruzen?" Biwako stated as she saw her husband standing on the back porch. "It was Tetsuya. We have to notify Shikaku, Inoichi, and some of the other villagers for what I am about to say that Tetsuya told me on the phone." Hiruzen uttered with a stern look on his face. Biwako was curious on what her husband was talking about.

Hiruzen proceeded to say, "Just a little while ago, Tetsuya told me that he proposed to his girlfriend and asked her hand in marriage which she accepted. He later stated that their wedding is six months from today and will give us more information when it gets closer to time." Realizing what Hiruzen just said, Biwako had a calm look on her face and was amazed on the news. In that moment, Hiruzen and Biwako left their house to notify the per mentioned people about Tetsuya's announcement.

"Ah I see. So, I suppose when you find out more information about the wedding from Tetsuya is when we can start planning on getting train tickets, Lord Third." Shikaku stated in his reaction to Hiruzen about Tetsuya's proposal. Hiruzen nodded his head yes while holding a pipe in his hand. Inoichi who was standing right next to Shikaku thought that the day would come when one of their dearest friends was going to get married. "To come to think of it. When this wedding happens, it will be our first time visiting the area where Tetsuya, Minato, and Kushina live at." Inoichi uttered out a simple realization after hearing Shikaku and Hiruzen's conversation.

The following day Tetsuya and Yuki decided to walk to the bakery so they can share the good news to Yuki's family. Upon entering the bakery, Tetsuya and Yuki noticed that the Fujibayashi sisters were visiting the bakery. "It's a sudden surprise to see you guys here." Tetsuya stated as he looked at both Kyou and Ryou. Yuki proceeded to walk up towards the Fujibayashi sisters and showed them the ring on her finger. "Wait a minute, is that what I think it is." Kyou said with a shocked look on her face upon looking at the ring. Yuki nodded her head yes and explained to the Fujibayashi sisters about Tetsuya's proposal the night before. Ryou and Kyou were amazed to hear this and proceeded to say in unison, "Congratulations you guys on being engaged." With that both Fujibayashi sisters had left the bakery having big smiles on their faces to express how proud they are about the situation.

Suddenly, Shia had come up to the front of the store and signaled both Tetsuya and Yuki to come to the dining room table. After getting situated in the dining room table, Yuki's family greeted both her and Tetsuya which they offered them a glass of tea. Upon taking a sip from his glass of tea Yosaki said, "Is there something that you guys want to share with us?" Tetsuya signaled Yuki to pull out her hand with the engagement ring on her finger. Yuki's family were in pure awe after seeing the ring and congratulate both Yuki and Tetsuya on their engagement. "Have you guys planned on a date for the wedding to take place?" Shia asked out of curiosity. Tetsuya told them that it would take place six months from that day.

"So, have you guys figured out any other plans on the wedding yet? It takes a lot of work to getting everything right." Shiznae stated out of curiosity. "Not yet. But me and Yuki will take care most it. However, we need your cooperation in the minor things and no worries my brother-in-law and sister are going to help out too." Tetsuya responded by stating a very special request on his and Yuki's behalf. Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia agreed in unison on Tetsuya's request. This was the beginning of planning the special day dedicated to Tetsuya and Yuki; also, the day that Tetsuya had dreamt about ever since he came to the Pure Land.


	30. Preparations for the Anticipated Wedding

30

Preparations for the Anticipated Wedding

Five and a half months after Tetsuya proposed to Yuki, planning for the wedding was turning out in a great direction. However, Tetsuya had figured out the right inn for any guests that were coming from far distant lands to stay in until the big day was over and found the perfect kimono to wear. Yuki on the other hand during her days off work she was finding a perfect kimono dress and planning on where the post-wedding reception should be held at. As for Yuki's family, Minato, and Kushina they helped by finding someone to cater in the food.

Tetsuya one day woke up to hear that his phone was going off and decided to answer it. "Hello, Tetsuya." Hiruzen responded once the call went through. "Oh, hello Professor." Tetsuya stated with a drowsy voice. Then Hiruzen had asked Tetsuya about any information in regards to the wedding. Tetsuya with a stern voice said, "Yes, we have decided to have whoever comes from faraway places like the Pure Land Leaf Village can stay at an inn that is about six blocks south of the train station. That is all I got for now." Hiruzen understood and told Tetsuya that he will inform the others about this new information. "Before I forget, try to plan on coming at least a week or five days before the wedding. Because that inn even though it will be busy but I put the reservations on it during that time span." Tetsuya uttered before hanging up the phone. "Alright, I will tell the others about making plans to leave in a week or so from now. Goodbye, Tetsuya." Hiruzen stated before ending the phone conversation.

After putting his phone on the table right beside the bed, Tetsuya noticed that Yuki was starting to wake up. "*yawns* Who was that on the phone?" Yuki stated once she got out of the bed. Tetsuya then proceeded to tell Yuki who was on the phone and relayed the information mentioned in the phone conversation. "I can't wait for the wedding to come in two weeks, you know. This planning has been putting a strain on our bodies the past couple of weeks. Wouldn't you agree, Yuki?" Tetsuya stated once he got up out of bed. Yuki agreed to Tetsuya's statement while they got ready to start on placing the final touches of their wedding plans.

While reviewing everything, they had so far in regards to the wedding, Yuki had a concern look on her face and Tetsuya looked on with wonder. "I know my parents are going be a part of the wedding. It had me thinking. Who are you going to have as the parent roles in the wedding?" Yuki stated her concern. This was something that Tetsuya had a tough time thinking on how to answer Yuki's question until he mentioned that the Sarutobis and Kushina should be Tetsuya's parental roles for the wedding. "It looks like we have everything in order, Yuki. How about we go somewhere nice for lunch?" Tetsuya stated with a sigh of relief in his voice. Yuki agreed but not before telling her family, Minato, and Kushina that they have everything finalized. "I was thinking that we should tell them on our way to lunch if that's alright with you." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face.

While on their way to lunch, Tetsuya and Yuki did what they set out to do in regards of notifying their perspective families that wedding plans were finalized. "Umm…Yuki can you wait for me by the playground. I will be just a second, there is something I need to tell Minato and Kushina. Then we will be on our way for lunch." Tetsuya stated to Yuki who was in the middle of talking to her family. Yuki nodded her head in a yes fashion and proceeded to stand on the playground across the street from the bakery. "There is something that you guys have to know. I had received a phone call from Lord Third this morning and notified him everything that I could on the wedding. Even though it might be a little too much on you guys, when our friends from the Pure Land Leaf Village can you show them around the area. After they get their things checked at the inn." Tetsuya stated his request to both Minato and Kushina. A few seconds later, Tetsuya told them around the time frame that the Sarutobis, Shikaku, Inoichi, and some of the villagers are supposed to arrive in the area. Minato and Kushina accepted Tetsuya's request since it did not pose a challenge for them. Tetsuya thanked them for accepting the request before he went off with Yuki to have a pleasant lunch.

Meanwhile, Hiruzen and Biwako were having a cup of tea before they heard a knock on their door. Hiruzen got up from the door to only see that it was Shikaku and Inoichi standing in front of the Sarutobi residence. After getting an offer for a cup of tea, Shikaku and Inoichi sat on the dining room table across from the Sarutobis. "So, have you heard anything from Tetsuya." Shikaku asked out of curiosity. Hiruzen nodded his head yes and proceeded to tell everyone around the table about what Tetsuya had told him earlier in the day. "I see. Have you guys thought of any ideas on the kind of the gifts we should individually give for the wedding?" Inoichi asked out of curiosity. Shikaku and the Sarutobis had told Inoichi that they should give a small amount of money to donate for the wedding; which was something they all agreed on.

While on their way back from eating the pleasant lunch, Tetsuya and Yuki had crossed paths with the Fujibayashi sisters. "Hello, Tetsuya and Yuki. How are things going with planning out the wedding?" Kyou asked out of curiosity. Tetsuya proceeded to tell Ryou and Kyou that the plans for the wedding were finalized. "I'm glad to hear that. Can't wait for that day to come. Anyways, me and Kyou were heading to the shopping district to get some things for the house." Ryou stated her response to hearing what Tetsuya said. Tetsuya and Yuki waved goodbye to the Fujibayashi sisters and proceeded to head back to their apartment. " _Now I can't wait for the guests for the wedding to show up here in the area. If there was a chance for Yuki to meet some of my old friends before the wedding that would be nice. I can't believe that the one day I have dreamt about is steadily approaching._ " Tetsuya thought to himself upon entering the apartment.

A week had passed by since that day, it was time for the Sarutobis, Shikaku, Inoichi, and some family friends to arrive into the area by train. The family friends that were to arrive included Jiraiya who was Minato's mentor, two of Minato's former students: Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara. Minato and Kushina had volunteered to pick them up from the train station since Tetsuya had to work on this day. "The train should be here any minute. I just could not believe at first Tetsuya invited my old team and sensei to come to his wedding." Minato stated while waiting for the train to arrive. "Well he has always considered them as family friends, you know. Tetsuya has been on countless journeys with your team and even times when you had to train with Jiraiya-sensei when we were alive." Kushina reassured to Minato in a stern voice.

Before Minato could say anything, the train showed up on time and they had to meet their old friends who just got off the train. "It sure has been a long time, Minato. Oh, I forgot same thing goes for Kushina. Just that I didn't see her there for a second." Jiraiya stated to his former student once he got off the train. Minato said a similar thing to his old sensei and proceeded alongside Kushina to give the Sarutobis, Shikaku, Inoichi, Jiraiya, Obito, and Rin a tour of the area before escorting them to the inn. "Wow this is a very nice area, Minato-sensei. I had always wondered why Tetsuya-senpai moved here in the first place just by looking at the sheer beauty of the many sights." Rin uttered her observation before getting settled at the inn. Minato and Kushina smiled once they heard that response before leaving the inn to head back towards their house.

"Wait a minute, Minato. I was wondering would we have time to meet Tetsuya's fiancé before their wedding." Inoichi stated before Minato and Kushina left the inn. Minato responded back by saying, "Yes more certainly. Since you mentioned it I was thinking that we should eat at a noodle shop. It is the same place where Tetsuya's fiancé works at. That was how me and Kushina met her over a year ago." Everyone was thrilled to meet Yuki for the first time. In that moment, everyone left for the noodle shop to eat dinner after a busy day of traveling. "I hope Tetsuya's fiancé is like the way that Tetsuya had described it to me long ago." Hiruzen stated while they on their way to the noodle shop. Minato and Kushina assured everyone that Yuki is like the description Hiruzen mentioned about.

Upon arriving at the noodle shop, the receptionist was baffled by the people that were surrounding Minato and Kushina. "Is this all that will be joining you guys, tonight?" the receptionist asked towards Minato and Kushina. Minato nodded his head yes in response to the question. "Ok if everyone can follow me. You guys will be sitting at the large table in the very back of the shop." The receptionist stated after taking a head count. Along the way, Kushina asked the receptionist in private if Yuki was working. Then the receptionist nodded her head yes after realizing that Kushina was the sister of Yuki's fiancé, Tetsuya.

A few moments later, the waiter came by to take everyone's orders and before he left to hand the order to one of the cooks Kushina had pulled him aside. "Wait a minute. You are Yuki's soon to be sister-in-law. If you were asking me to have Yuki to come, hand out the order. Then I will more certainly glad to tell the other cooks this request. However, due to the number of people in your party another waitress has to help out deliver your orders." The waiter uttered out the first thing that came into mind. Kushina proceeded to thank the waiter for accepting the request.

Once Kushina came back to sit down on the table, Minato had a sigh underneath his breath before saying, "I see that you pulled off the same thing your brother did a year ago. It was a very clever idea to do that, Kushina. Let's just hope that we did not embarrass the daylights out of Yuki or else we would be scolded by Tetsuya." Obito and Rin had a little chuckle in regards to the final part of their sensei's statement. While the others had, calm looks on their faces in observance to the situation.

Meanwhile, one of the cooks that was nearby Yuki had pulled her aside for a moment. "Did I do something wrong?" Yuki stated out of concern. The cook told her that she did not do anything wrong just to only tell Yuki that she was requested to hand out an order with one of the waitress. "Oh, umm…where is the order I am supposed to deliver this food to?" Yuki uttered a curious question. Immediately, the cook pointed to the table where Kushina, Minato, and the guests were sitting at. Yuki's face started to get beat red after seeing Kushina sitting at the table. "By the way, after you hand out this order. Your shift will be over." The cook told Yuki while patting on her shoulder. Yuki then assured the cook that she would not fail in delivering the order.

"So, which one of these cooks is Tetsuya's fiancé?" Biwako asked out of curiosity since the other guests were wondering the same thing. "It is the one with brown hair that had beat red face just a second ago. Looks like our presence has made her extremely nervous." Minato stated with a smirk look on his face. Shikaku, Hiruzen, Inoichi, and Jiraiya all agreed to the latter part of Minato's statement which they recalled memories on certain occasions where Tetsuya would get extremely nervous over encountering certain people. However, Kushina and Minato's team were baffled on the memories that the other guests were talking about. Not before long, Minato had noticed the order was coming their way.

Once she was near the table to hand out the orders, Yuki's nervousness started to go away and knew that she had to do her best not for her sake but Tetsuya's as well. "Here you are. Nine bowls of ramen, one with no salt in it." Yuki stated as she alongside another waitress handed out the orders. Then the other waitress headed back to the front of the shop to help other customers. "Thank you for bringing out the order, Yuki. By the way there are some people here that I want you to meet." Kushina stated as she was introducing Yuki to the Sarutobis, Shikaku, Inoichi, Obito, Rin, and Jiraiya. After the introductions, Yuki requested if she can have a chair placed next to the table.

"We had heard so much about you from Tetsuya. Now meeting you and your appearance is exactly how Tetsuya described it to us. In some ways, you are like Tetsuya when he was younger." Hiruzen stated to Yuki after eating the ramen bowl. Yuki was baffled on the latter part of Hiruzen's statement but remembered it was about the embarrassing stories that Kushina told her long ago. "I suppose you can say that. Besides I know what Tetsuya was like at a younger age based on stories that I heard from Kushina." Yuki stated in agreeing to Hiruzen's statement. A few seconds later, everyone at the table finished with their dinner and proceeded to head back towards the inn.

Once they were outside, Yuki got to know the guests better so she can understand their affiliations or ties relating to Tetsuya. Everyone waved their goodbyes to Yuki and stated that they will see her again on the wedding day. Before leaving the shopping district, Yuki was approached by Minato. "Sorry if we tried to embarrass you back there at the noodle shop." Minato stated with a calm look on his face. "It's ok, Minato. I was not embarrassed at all it was an honor to meet your old friends tonight. This can make Tetsuya happy when I tell him about this and no worries I will him that you guys said hello." Yuki uttered while she was heading back to the apartment.

Yuki upon opening the door to the apartment, she noticed Tetsuya was in the kitchen making dinner. "Hi, sweetheart. How was work?" Tetsuya stated once he saw Yuki coming into the kitchen. In that moment, Yuki proceeded to tell Tetsuya how she met the Sarutobis, Shikaku, Inoichi, Obito, Rin, and Jiraiya at work alongside with Minato and Kushina. That put a smile on Tetsuya's face and began to say while finishing up dinner, "I'm glad that you got to meet them. To tell you the truth, I was hoping for them to meet you sometime before our big day. However, I am surprised that Minato's mentor and most of the team that he used to lead long ago were the family friends that Minato was referring to came to see the wedding." Yuki rubbed on Tetsuya's shoulders once he got done putting dinner on the table.

Then came the day before the wedding, the place where the wedding was to take place was adding its final touches for the big day. This place was in a park not far from the academy that had massive space and was surrounded by cherry blossom trees. Tetsuya went on ahead to see the progress on the decorations and was very pleased with it. " _Only one more day until Yuki becomes my wife here at this beautiful place. This area is like a place where dreams do come true. I better grab my kimono from the shop before it's too late._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while walking towards the shopping district.

Once he got closer to the kimono shop, Tetsuya notices a familiar face standing there like they were anticipating his arrival. Upon further examination, Tetsuya realized that it was Hiruzen who was standing there. Hiruzen told Tetsuya to wait after he grabbed the kimono before they can have a conversation. "That is a nice kimono you got there, Tetsuya." Hiruzen complimented on the kimono. Tetsuya thanked Hiruzen for the compliment while they took a stroll to find a bench where they can sit at. "It just seems like it was only yesterday when I met you after me and Kushina's homeland was destroyed while we were alive. The dream that I had told you and Minato long ago once tomorrow comes will be true. I know that there are some people who are still in the living world that would be very proud of me." Tetsuya stated to Hiruzen while looking at the sky.

Hiruzen then proceeded to say, "Tetsuya, ever since we came up here to the Pure Land you went on to pursue your dream. I remember the young boy who sacrificed any dreams he had to help the others around him fulfill theirs mainly Kushina and Minato's. Now here we are today getting ready for the ultimate dream that you had sacrificed for while we were alive become reality. I know that your old sensei, Naruto, and countless others would be very proud of you. Seems you look a little concerned about something, Tetsuya?" Tetsuya with the per mentioned concerned look on his face had thanked Hiruzen for those kind words.

"Yes, Professor there is something that concerns me a little. Ever since I proposed to Yuki, Kushina has gotten emotional all about it even when I hardly notice it. I think Minato in some way is acting the same as Kushina. Since it is hard on them that I am fully grown up right before their eyes and seeing my dream get fulfilled. However, in my heart I sense that their dream never got it's full ending since the day they sacrificed their lives to come up here in the Pure Land which they never got see Naruto grow up and showing him parental guidance. There is a reason why I wanted to pursue my dream, which I had fully never told anybody about this." Tetsuya stated briefly about his concern. Hiruzen fully understood in what Tetsuya was saying and was wondering about the reason why Tetsuya wanted to pursue his dream.

"*sighs*it was when I was still alive about a few weeks before I came up here. I had wanted to spend time with Naruto to get a better understanding about him. When he had told me about his dream to become the Hokage of the village, I had realized that his dream was the same as his parents. Right before coming to the Pure Land, I had a private conversation with Naruto in his psyche and told him about the dream I wanted to pursue. He told me to pursue it regardless and I promised to him that I would fulfill it." Tetsuya stated the reason for fulfilling his dream. Hiruzen realized that Tetsuya had understood a lot from visiting with his nephew reassured him to follow the dream that for so long he sacrificed on.

After that deep conversation, Hiruzen decided to head back to the inn while Tetsuya with the cleaned kimono went back to the apartment to get ready for the big day. Upon entering the apartment, Tetsuya noticed that Yuki laid out a note for him stating that she was going to spend the day with her family and getting her kimono sometime later. That put a smile on Tetsuya's face since he realized Yuki wanted to spend time with her family and proceeded to put his kimono in the closet. Before sitting down, Tetsuya heard a knock coming from the front door and looking to see who it was which he let them inside.

"Oh, Lady Biwako. Come on in." Tetsuya greeted Biwako as she entered the door and got her settled on the sofa. Immediately, Tetsuya started to grow suspicious into why Biwako came to the apartment. "Hiruzen had told me about the conversation you two had earlier today. I wanted to come down here to see if you were feeling alright after having that talk." Biwako stated in a calm voice. Tetsuya had felt alright which made his suspicion go away and offered Biwako a cup of tea. In turn, Biwako accepted Tetsuya's offer and looked around the living room while waiting for the tea to be made.

Once Tetsuya handed Biwako the cup of tea, she took a sip of it and looked at Tetsuya with a calm look on her face. "I am reflecting on how the little boy who used to help me around while Hiruzen was busy and his sister away on missions has fully grown up. Now here we are with tomorrow being the day that your dream is going to be fulfilled. You know, me and Hiruzen are very proud of the changes you made in the past few years." Biwako stated with the calm look still on her face. Tetsuya got up proceeded to thank Biwako for everything that she and Hiruzen have ever done in his life. A few seconds later, Biwako left the apartment and told Tetsuya that everyone will see him the next day.

Meanwhile, Yuki started to feel nervous while eating dinner at the Sakagami Bakery which made her family curious. "Are you feeling nervous about the big day tomorrow, Yuki?" Shia stated in curiosity. Yosaki and Shiznae were wondering what Yuki's response was going to be. "I am sort of nervous about the wedding tomorrow. But I can manage it though since me and Tetsuya's nerves might end up being more nervous once it comes time for the actual ceremony. I am starting to realize that tomorrow is when I marry the man of my dreams." Yuki responded with clarity in her voice. Immediately after dinner, Yuki left the bakery for the apartment to get plenty of rest for the big day. Tetsuya likewise did the same thing once he saw Yuki come to the apartment.


	31. The Wedding Ceremony

31

The Wedding Ceremony

The big day had finally come; Tetsuya and Yuki had gotten up early to eat breakfast to start out the day. Tetsuya left with the kimono in hand to head towards the building that was right next to the place where the ceremony was to take place. Yuki on the other hand proceeded with her kimono left for the bakery so she can get ready for the ceremony. In that moment, Tetsuya and Yuki started to get nervous about getting ready for their wedding before leaving the apartment.

Tetsuya had reached his destination to see that Hiruzen, Shikaku, and Inoichi dressed in suits expecting his arrival. "Do you need help in getting ready, Tetsuya?" Inoichi stated without any hesitation. Tetsuya nodded his head yes and they headed to the dressing room in the per mentioned building to help Tetsuya. "What happened to Minato? I thought he was supposed to be here the same time you guys showed up." Tetsuya stated while Hiruzen was fixing up his kimono and Shikaku placing the flower on the kimono. "Don't worry, Tetsuya. He and Kushina will show up when Jiraiya, Obito, and Rin arrive." Shikaku stated in a reassuring voice. This put a sigh of relief on Tetsuya's face and after looking at himself through the mirror he was all ready to go.

Meanwhile, Yuki had entered the bakery to see that the Fujibayashi sisters, Shiznae, and Shia were there. "If you were wondering where your father went. He is already with a suit on and headed towards the park." Shiznae stated once Yuki walked inside the bakery. Hearing that Yuki was at the bakery, the Fujibayashi sisters and Shia helped get Yuki ready. Looking on as Shia, Ryou, and Kyou were fixing up Yuki's hair and putting make up on her face Shiznae had a joyous smile on her face since today was the day her first-born daughter is getting married. Sometime later, Yuki looked in the mirror of Shia's room to see that her brown hair was tied up in a beautiful knot in the back, a shade of makeup on her face which best suited the white kimono she was wearing. "You look very beautiful, Yuki. It seems that only yesterday when we were alive I held you in my arms after you were born. Today my first-born daughter is getting married. Even your father would agree with me on this, we are very proud of the young woman you have become." Shiznae stated while holding back a tear in her eye looking at Yuki. This led to Yuki thanking her mother for that statement and waited for everyone else to get ready before heading out to the ceremony.

Once Yuki and her group arrived at the park, she seen her dad standing at the front entrance at the park. "You look very pretty, Yuki." Yosaki stated upon seeing Yuki in her attire. Yuki proceeded to thank her dad and instructed the others to go find chairs at the park to sit on since it was almost time for the ceremony. In that moment, Yuki had entered the building where Tetsuya had gotten ready for the big day to see him there. Just before Yuki could enter the room where Tetsuya was at, Inoichi notified them that Minato, Kushina, and the others just arrived at the park.

After Tetsuya and Yuki complimented each other on how they looked, Hiruzen popped his head out and asked them if they are ready to go. Tetsuya and Yuki stated that they are ready to do this wedding ceremony which they left the building and started to walk down the aisle. All the guests stood up and looked in awe once Tetsuya and Yuki were walking down the aisle towards an altar. Immediately, the wedding officiator instructed the guests to sit down once Tetsuya and Yuki had reached the altar. The people who were sitting in the first row on Tetsuya's side were Minato, Kushina, Jiraiya, Hiruzen, and Biwako. While Shikaku, Inoichi, Obito, and Rin were sitting in the row behind them. As for the people sitting in the first row on Yuki's side composed of Yosaki, Shiznae, Shia, Ryou, and Kyou.

Then Tetsuya and Yuki looked at each other as the officiator was beginning the ceremony where the cherry blossom trees had fully bloomed. Beforehand, the officiator gave Shia the wedding rings when she first arrived at the park. "Will the ring bearer please come forth?" the officiator stated for Shia to come forward with the rings to hand them to Tetsuya and Yuki. In that moment, the officiator asked if there was anyone that opposed to this idea to speak now or forever hold their peace.

"We are gathered here to witness the matrimony of Tetsuya Uzumaki and Yuki Sakagami. Tetsuya, place the ring on Yuki's finger and repeat after me." The officiator started the main part of the ceremony before instructing Tetsuya to repeat the following words he was going to say next. "I, Tetsuya Uzumaki, take Yuki Sakagami to be my wedded wife. I will love and cherish her…..." Tetsuya stated his vows to Yuki. Then the officiator had Yuki repeat her vows towards Tetsuya and placed the other ring on Tetsuya's hand. "I, Yuki Sakagami, take Tetsuya Uzumaki to be my wedded husband. I will love and cherish him…..." Yuki stating her vows.

While the wedding vows were being stated, Kushina and Minato had a tear drop down their eye. The same thing happened to Shiznae and Yosaki who were sitting on the other side of the aisle. Shia handed a napkin towards her parents to wipe off the tears in their eyes; while on Tetsuya's side Rin handed a napkin to give Minato and Kushina to wipe off their tears. Everyone then looked on the altar for the entire duration of the ceremony.

"Tetsuya Uzumaki, do you take Yuki Sakagami to be your wedded wife?" The officiator stated the question. "I do." Tetsuya stated his response with confidence. "Yuki Sakagami, do you take Tetsuya Uzumaki to be your wedded husband?" The officiator stated the question to Yuki. Then Yuki gave the same response Tetsuya did towards the officiator's question. "Now I pronounce this couple as husband and wife. Tetsuya, you may kiss the bride." The officiator stated the final part of this ceremony. Then everyone stood up and clapped to celebrate the wedding ceremony of Tetsuya and Yuki Uzumaki.

In that moment, Tetsuya and Yuki kissed to signal the end of the wedding ceremony. While looking at his newfound wife, Tetsuya had the biggest smile on his face as the dream he had wished for long ago came true. "What's wrong, darling?" Yuki stated with a curious look on her face staring at her newfound husband. Tetsuya assured that there was nothing wrong just that he is happy about him and Yuki officially being married. Then most of the guests were in a line to start stating their congratulatory messages to the married couple.

"I hope you two have a long and blessed marriage. From me, Inoichi, Jiraiya, Obito, and Rin we like to say congratulations on your marriage, Tetsuya and Yuki." Shikaku spoke on behalf of the guests on Tetsuya's side. Tetsuya and Yuki shook their hands after thanking them for the message. With that Shikaku, Inoichi, Jiraiya, Obito, and Rin left the park for the inn without waiting for the Sarutobis.

"Congratulations, Tetsuya and Yuki. From the first time, we heard that you two became a couple all the way up to today in this wonderful ceremony. Me and Kyou hope you have a very long-loving and blessed marriage. Thank you both for being our friends." Ryou stated the congratulations on behalf of her and Kyou. After hearing that message, Tetsuya and Yuki prospectively hugged the Fujibayashi sisters and thanked them for being their friends for many years. With their friends giving out congratulatory messages, the messages that Tetsuya and Yuki figured that would be the emotional ones is coming from their immediate families.

The next people who were going to give their congratulatory message next was the Sarutobis, who were like second-to-none parental figures to Tetsuya. "First, congratulations on your marriage. Yuki, I want you to look over Tetsuya and make sure he does get into any trouble. Tetsuya, we are very proud of the man you have become, from the time we first met you we knew that one day you would find the perfect person that made you happy. Also, make sure you take care of the needs of your wife." Hiruzen and Biwako said in unison. Yuki shook their hands while thanking them, while Tetsuya had a tear starting to drop on his face and expressed his thanks by hugging them.

"Tetsuya and Yuki, congratulations on getting married. We are very proud for the both of you. Even though it will be a hard transition to call Tetsuya our son-in-law but we can manage it. I hope you guys have a happy and loving marriage on behalf of me and Shiznae." Yosaki stated his message while Shiznae was holding back tears from the ceremony. Yuki and Tetsuya thanked both of Yuki's parents by hugging them. In that moment, Shia came up to the married coupled and said, "Congratulations on getting married. It is awesome that I get to have an amazing brother-in-law. Tetsuya, make sure my sister does not do anything crazy and take care of her in any situation. Yuki, you are the best sister that I could ever ask for and I hope you have a very blessed marriage." Tetsuya hugged Shia while thanking her for the message. On the other hand, Yuki thanked her sister for the message and embraced her with a smile on her face.

After that Tetsuya started to get a little concerned about something and Yuki noticed that something was wrong. Hiruzen who had stood a few feet away from the married couple and looked at Tetsuya to say, "*sighs*if you are looking for Minato and Kushina. They went down to the left side of the park once the ceremony was over with." Tetsuya with Yuki alongside thanked Hiruzen for the directions to where Minato and Kushina were proceeded to head that way. Once they had reached the destination, Tetsuya and Yuki noticed Minato and Kushina were standing there crying. Tetsuya realizing what was happening asked Yuki to come along with him to try and comfort his sister and brother-in-law.

"What's wrong, Sis and Minato?" Tetsuya asked out of concern as he seen the crying continue down Kushina and Minato's faces. In that moment, Kushina and Minato had looked up to see that Tetsuya and Yuki were standing right in front of them. "*sobs*Me and Minato just would have wished that Naruto was here to see his uncle getting married. Sorry if I had gotten emotional like I am right now since you became an engaged couple. *sobs*" Kushina stated the response with tears still in her eyes. Suddenly, Minato stopped crying and apologized to Tetsuya for doing so. Tetsuya walked up to both Minato and Kushina to place their hands where their hearts are supposed to be and said, "Listen I know that you guys miss your son very dearly. You will always have an essence of him in your hearts like he is in mine. To tell you the truth, I know that your son would be very proud of me since he was the one to ensure me that I follow my dream and it was fulfilled today with my wife who is standing right next to me." Kushina stopped crying and she and Minato proceeded to stand up and face the married couple.

Yuki was surprised to hear her husband say those words and she was proud to that he cheered up Kushina and Minato. Not before long, Tetsuya had placed an arm on his heart assuring his statement earlier was true. However, Tetsuya wanted Kushina and Minato to come back to the area where the ceremony took place so that the people who were still there can hear a congratulatory message. While on the way back to the ceremony site, Tetsuya had reflected on the time when he and Kushina were younger; this was when after Kushina and Minato started dating which was around the time when Tetsuya's dream was an idea. It was something Tetsuya had told and promised Kushina that one day he would meet the girl of his dreams and one day marry her. Yuki was wondering what Tetsuya was thinking about. "Sis, do you remember that promise I made to you when we were younger?" Tetsuya asked the question to Kushina. It took a while for Kushina to figure out what Tetsuya is talking about and immediately dawned on her.

"Yes, I do remember that day when you made that promise to me, little brother. Wait a minute, today is the day you fulfilled the promise." Kushina uttered it out once they had got to the ceremony site. Yuki was baffled on what Tetsuya and Kushina were talking about which led her to ask out of curiosity what was her husband talking about. "When I was younger roughly around seven years old, Kushina and Minato had started dating. Around that time, there was a conversation I had with Kushina which led me to promise that one day I would find the girl of my dreams and marry her. Today made me realize that the girl of my dreams is you, Yuki." Tetsuya stated the truth out to his wife. Yuki had a joyous smile on her face and hugged Tetsuya for saying those words.

Then Minato started out with giving out his congratulatory message by saying, "First, congratulations you two on getting married. When I first heard that you guys were engaged, I could not have been happier. It showed that the one who was a very close friend to me that stuck out with myself in the most desperate situations had found the woman of his dreams and I am very proud of him. Yuki, please take good care of Tetsuya. Now Tetsuya, you have been an integral part of my life since the day I met you. Back when me and Kushina got married, you expressed our most eternal blessing which I can ever thank you for that. It is my turn to do the same to you. I hope you guys have a blessed marriage." Yuki and Tetsuya were pleased with the words Minato just said. However, before giving thanks to Minato there was one final congratulatory message that Tetsuya and Yuki wanted to hear.

Kushina had given it some serious thought on what she wanted to say as a message and a tear started to yet again drop down on her face. "I would like to say congratulations on getting married, you know. Yuki, from the time I met you I knew that you would be the perfect person that made my little brother's life complete and happy. I am very glad to call you my sister-in-law, you know. I want you to take good care of my little brother he means the absolute world to me and stay strongly committed to him. Tetsuya, from the day I held you in my arms I knew that you would be the best brother I could ever ask for. From the tough times, we faced in our lifetime, you always had my back and been my biggest supporter other than Minato. You have fully grown up into the man I knew you would be and marrying the girl of your dreams is something I cannot be even more proud of it, you know. Please take good care of your wife, little brother. Have a loving and blessed marriage. I will always love you guys." Yuki then expressed her thanks to Minato and Kushina's messages which she hugged them both.

However, for Tetsuya had a smile and tears started to drip down his eyes while everyone looked on. "Thank you both for the messages. Those words meant a lot to me. Minato, *sniffles* thank you for being my best friend after these years and you watching over my sister made me the happiest man in the world. *sighs* Sis, your message was the most heart-felt one I have heard you say towards me and Yuki. I know I have said this in past but in regards to today it has a very special meaning. Thank you for being my big sister and mother figure to me. I am glad to be your little brother. I know Yuki is glad to be your sister-in-law." Minato then rubbed and hugged Tetsuya for that message.

Kushina then started to embrace Tetsuya and cried based on what he said which showed that despite them being married to their prospective partners, they will always have that special bond of love between two siblings. Yuki, Yosaki, Shiznae, Shia, Ryou, and Kyou had big smiles on their faces to see what happened. As for Hiruzen and Biwako they knew all along that from the first day meeting Tetsuya and Kushina despite everything that has ever happened between the two Uzumaki siblings the bond would never cease.

Tetsuya then looked on his wife and smiled at her knowing that they have a new journey together. "Are you ready, my love?" Tetsuya stated to Yuki. "Yes, I am. Wherever you go, I will always be at your side, Tetsuya Uzumaki." Yuki responded with a smile on her face. Yuki held her arms tightly on Tetsuya's neck so she can be on his lap. Before leaving the ceremony spot, Tetsuya and Yuki waved goodbye to all their family and friends. While walking back towards their apartment, Tetsuya and Yuki thought all about the memories they made with each other at the same time making new ones.


	32. Tetsuya and Yuki's Wedding Gifts

32

Tetsuya and Yuki's Wedding Gifts

Upon entering the apartment, newlyweds Tetsuya and Yuki began to wind down before noticing there was a basket with a note attached to it in the dining room table. "Do you want me to take a shower while you check out what is in the basket, my love?" Yuki directed the question to Tetsuya who was wondering about anticipating the contents within this mysterious basket. "That will be alright with me, Yuki." Tetsuya answered with a bold look on his face towards his wife. Immediately, Yuki got her things ready to take a shower while Tetsuya got up from the sofa to see what was in the basket.

Once he further examined the contents in the basket, Tetsuya realized that it was wedding gifts from Minato, Kushina, Minato's team, the Sarutobis, Shikaku, and Inoichi. There was a card attached next to the note placed on the basket. Tetsuya proceeded to open the card which had a little money inside it from the Sarutobis, Shikaku, Inoichi, Jiraiya, and Minato's team. That in turn made Tetsuya think that the rest of the basket was from his sister and brother-in-law. The note attached on the basket stated, "This basket is full of lovely decorations and accessories that you guys would enjoy. Congratulations on getting married. Love always, Kushina and Minato." After reading the note, Tetsuya had a smile on his face and thought this was the reason why Kushina and Minato showed up later than everyone else before the wedding.

Yuki who had gotten out of the shower dressed in regular clothes with her hair back down to its normal state and make up all off proceeded to put her kimono dress away in the closet. "Tetsuya, the shower is ready for you." Yuki stated once she got to the living room. Before heading towards the bathroom to take his shower, Tetsuya signaled Yuki to come look at the gifts which were in the basket. "That was very sweet of Kushina and Minato to give us this wonderful gift. Also, we need to thank them for the gift and thank your friends for the card. I love this gift a lot." Yuki said with a joyful reaction to the gifts that were placed in the basket.

"I am planning on calling them after I get out of the shower of if you want to you can call to thank them while I am in the shower. My phone is on the counter and Minato's number should be the first thing on my recent contacts list." Tetsuya stated to Yuki right as he opened the door to the bathroom. "Ok, I am going to call them while you are in the shower, my love. Remember to put your kimono away in the closet right next to mine." Yuki said in an assuring voice. Tetsuya with a smile on his face once he entered the bathroom to take his shower.

Yuki then proceeded to walk towards the counter where Tetsuya's phone was laying at and dialed Minato's number. After the last dial tone, Yuki knew that the call came through and said hello. "Oh hello, Yuki. How does it feel to be married to my best friend?" Minato stated once he picked up the phone. "It feels wonderful. By the way, me and Tetsuya wanted to thank you guys for the lovely gift basket and the card. We love it a lot and appreciate it. Tetsuya's in the shower so that is why I am calling on his behalf." Yuki expressed her thanks on the gifts. "I will tell Kushina and the others that you guys appreciated the gift. We are on our way to send the Sarutobis, Shikaku, Inoichi, my sensei, and my team members off to the train station for them to head back home. Thank you for calling and tell Tetsuya that we said hello." Minato stated right before ending the phone conversation. Yuki assured to Minato that she will relay the message to Tetsuya and hung up the phone.

"Who was that on the phone, Minato?" Kushina asked out curiosity while on route to the train station. Minato proceeded to tell everyone around him that it was Yuki and how the newlyweds thanked everyone for the gifts. "I am glad that they loved the gift, you know." Kushina stated with a smile on her face. Upon arriving at the train station, Minato and Kushina knew it was time to state their goodbyes to the Sarutobis, Jiraiya, Shikaku, Inoichi, and Minato's team.

"Thank you guys for coming out celebrating Tetsuya's wedding. It meant a lot to Tetsuya to see you guys witness his dream coming true. You guys have a safe journey heading back to the village." Minato stated his goodbyes towards everyone except Kushina. Hiruzen assured Minato that they will have a safe return journey to the Pure Land Leaf Village. "Tell Tetsuya that it was an honor to meet Yuki and witnessing their marriage. I know that you guys could not be any prouder of Tetsuya marrying the girl who fully understands him and made his dream becoming reality." Biwako stated to Minato and Kushina before getting on the train.

"Don't worry, we will tell Tetsuya your message. Just like Minato said thank you for coming to Tetsuya's wedding." Kushina uttered her assurance to everyone except Minato that the message will get relayed to Tetsuya. In that moment, the train departed for the Pure Land Leaf Village with the Sarutobis, Jiraiya, Shikaku, Inoichi, and Minato's team on board waving goodbyes to Minato and Kushina. With that, Minato and Kushina left the train station to head back towards their house.

Meanwhile, Tetsuya had got out of the shower and placed his kimono in the closet like Yuki told him to earlier. "Ah, you're out of the shower. The phone call went great and Minato appreciated the thanks for the gifts. Also, he told me to tell you that everyone says hi. Minato and Kushina were on their way to dropping off your old friends at the train station." Yuki said with a smile on her face. Tetsuya felt a little sad about the latter part of Yuki's statement once he sat on the sofa. Yuki sensed this and placed her hand on Tetsuya's shoulder while proceeding to say, "Don't feel sad, Tetsuya. It's alright besides your friends appreciated coming out to celebrate our special day. I have a feeling that they must have sent a goodbye message before heading on the train." Suddenly, Tetsuya had regained a smile on his face from hearing Yuki's reassuring statement and kissed her on the forehead notifying that Yuki made him feel better.

Not too long after getting comfortable, the newlyweds heard a knock on their door and Tetsuya checked to see who it is. Then the door opened after Tetsuya recognized the faces who were standing outside. "We wanted to check up to see how the newlyweds are doing on their first night being married. Mind if we come in?" Yosaki stated while Shiznae and Shia were standing right next to him. Yuki and Tetsuya greeted them inside to later notice that Shia was carrying a small bag in her hand. "Wow that is a huge basket and it looks very lovely." Shiznae stated while staring at the basket on the dining room table. "Thank you, Mom. It was a wedding gift that me and Tetsuya received from Minato and Kushina. We didn't notice it until we got back to the apartment." Yuki stated with a smile on her face.

Tetsuya started to get suspicious about the bag that Shia had in her hand. "If you were wondering what is in this bag. It is your guys' wedding gift from me, Mom, and Dad." Shia stated once she handed the bag to Tetsuya. Yuki then sat next to Tetsuya to see what the gift that her family gave them as a token in honoring their wedding. Pulling the gift out of the bag, Tetsuya and Yuki were amazed in seeing a portrait frame but there were two pieces of paper on the bottom of the gift bag. Placing the portrait frame on the side of the sofa, Tetsuya grabbed the two pieces of paper out of the bag and handed one piece to Yuki. This put immediate suspicion on the newlyweds in wondering what is written on the pieces of paper.

"The portrait frame was the first part of our gift to you guys. However, the pieces of paper that you have in your hands is the second and key part in this gift. Me and Shiznae had thought about this part of the gift for a while now and it was something that you guys should deserve. That's right those are two coupons which are to be used at the spa and resort that you guys wanted to go to." Yosaki stated the truth behind the Sakagami's wedding gifts to Yuki and Tetsuya. Immediately, Tetsuya and Yuki expressed their thanks for the gifts her family gave by hugging them both.

Upon examining the coupons, Tetsuya realized that they were effective for a week-long stay at the resort. "Does this mean what I think it is, Tetsuya?" Yuki uttered after looking at the coupon Tetsuya gave her. "Yes, that means we found the place where we are going to spend our honeymoon at. This is arguably the best gift that we have ever gotten from anybody." Tetsuya stated with a smile on his face looking at Yuki. Tetsuya and Yuki could not be more thankful for Yosaki and Shiznae giving them a place to spend their honeymoon at. "Before I forget, those coupons come into effect two days from now. So, if I were you guys, I would start getting ready for it tomorrow. Because the spa and resort is on the other side of the shopping district; also, they don't accept coupons that are earlier than the date marked on the coupons." Yosaki said in a reassuring tone.

With that Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia left the apartment for the bakery not before Tetsuya and Yuki thanked them again for the gifts. "Where do you think we should place this new portrait frame, my love?" Yuki stating to Tetsuya while looking at the new portrait frame. Giving it some serious thought, Tetsuya suggested that they should place the frame right next to the ones that were originally in the living room. Yuki was feeling a little doubtful about the suggestion but decided that it would be the best place for the frame to be for the time being. After placing the frame in the designated spot, Tetsuya and Yuki went off to bed since they were worn out from the day's festivities and opening the wondrous gifts from the majority of the people that attended the wedding.


	33. Honeymoon Preperations

33

Preparations for the Honeymoon

Yuki had gotten up earlier than Tetsuya which was somewhat unusual in the Uzumaki apartment and she went into the kitchen. A few seconds passed by, Tetsuya started to wake up and began to wonder where his wife went. "I am in the kitchen getting ready to make breakfast, my love." Yuki uttered as she heard Tetsuya waking up from the bedroom. This put a sigh of relief on Tetsuya's face and he proceeded to head into the dining room. "Good morning, sweetheart. Is there anything I can do to help you out?" Tetsuya stated with a kind look on his face. "Not really, but thank you for asking. Breakfast should be done in a few minutes." Yuki responded with an honest statement. Tetsuya looked on seeing Yuki make breakfast put a smile on his face.

Then breakfast was served which included an omelet with a side of bacon and the newlyweds started eating their second meal as a married couple. While eating breakfast, Yuki noticed that her husband was feeling completely excited about something and it made her curious. Yuki waited until her and Tetsuya got done eating breakfast to ask what he was excited about. "It's that I am super excited about our honeymoon tomorrow…" Tetsuya stated while blabbering on about his exciting mood. Yuki suggested that they should get some things from the shopping district and pack for their honeymoon when they get back to the apartment. Tetsuya nodded his head yes while he was still blabbering on and that put a sigh underneath Yuki's breath once they left the apartment.

On their way to the apartment, Yuki and Tetsuya wanted to stop by the bakery to see how her family was doing. Yuki then notices that Minato and Kushina were standing outside of the bakery talking to her family. Tetsuya didn't pay attention to what his wife was looking at since he was still blabbering on about how excited he was for the honeymoon. In that moment, Yuki's family along with Minato and Kushina noticed the newlywed couple coming in their direction. "Good morning, Yuki. Is there something wrong with Tetsuya?" Shia greeted Yuki once she got closer to the bakery. Yosaki and Shiznae was wondering the exact same thing. "Well this morning after eating breakfast Tetsuya started to ramble on in excitement about the honeymoon idea gift you gave us last night. We are on our way to the shopping district to grab some things for the honeymoon. I figured we would stop here to see how everyone was doing." Yuki stated with honesty written all over her face.

Meanwhile, Kushina had a smile on her face contrary to Minato who had a nervous look on his face holding his hand behind his shoulder. "You guys don't seem to be curious on what Tetsuya is doing right now." Yuki said while looking at Minato and Kushina. Suddenly, Minato and Kushina looked at Yuki in knowing that they do realize what is going on. "I haven't seen Tetsuya super excited over anything in a very long time. To tell you the truth, this is when Tetsuya likes to talk gibberish very like how Kushina talks when she is worried about something." Minato stating an honest opinion to Yuki. Kushina realized that Minato said his statement and chuckled a little about it in her terms to agree in Minato's statement. This put a sigh of relief on Yuki's face since she learned something very new about Tetsuya.

"When was the last time Tetsuya got super excited over anything?" Yuki asked out of curiosity. That led Minato and Kushina to remember the last time they saw Tetsuya this excited and thought of the right way to answer Yuki's question. "The last time when Tetsuya's excitement was like this is the day when he found out that Kushina was pregnant. He was so excited to be an uncle and told all his friends about it. But you guys already know what happened afterwards with the circumstances behind the situation. That was a few months after I had been appointed to be the leader of the village that we lived in at the time. Which that was the other occasion of Tetsuya's excitement getting to the best of him." Minato stated his response in the best way that he could give it. Yuki and her family now understand the backstory of Tetsuya's excitement mood.

Yuki wanted to know how to snap Tetsuya out of his gibberish talking; then Kushina walked up to Tetsuya bringing Yuki alongside her. "*sighs* Ok this is how you get Tetsuya out of his mood, you know. So, pay very close attention from what I am about to do." Kushina said to Yuki before demonstrating on how to get Tetsuya out of his mood. Yuki was baffled at first in what Kushina was going to do but it is the only way to get Tetsuya out of his mood. Kushina then pulled out her sandal and put it right close to Tetsuya's nose. "Yuck…what is that awful smell." Tetsuya stated realizing that his mood was back to normal.

Yuki had gotten concerned about what happened and panicked by saying, "How can you do such things that would make me feel embarrassed if someone did that to me?" In that moment, Tetsuya realized where he was and saw that Yuki was in a state of panic which led him to notice the people surrounding him. "Sorry if I talked all gibberish to you and leading you to feel this way, sweetheart. I just could not suppress my feelings about the gift your parents gave us last night." Tetsuya stating trying to comfort Yuki and then turned his face in Kushina's direction. Before Tetsuya could say anything, Minato had walked up to where Yuki, Kushina and Tetsuya were standing. "I would be careful now, Tetsuya. Now that your wife knows about how to get you out of the excitement gibberish, she might use that against you, you know." Kushina stated with honesty in her face.

Minato then proceeded to tell the message that Biwako the day before wanted him to give to Tetsuya. Yuki was happy that her husband had smiled based on receiving the message from Minato. "That was a very nice thing for them to say those words. Now I need to apologize to my in-laws about my actions earlier." Tetsuya stated while getting ready to have a guilty look on his face. "It's alright, honey. My family understands about your excitement episode and I don't want you to get upset for doing such a thing." Yuki stated while placing her hands-on Tetsuya's shoulder.

Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia walked in their direction nodding their heads in agreeing to Yuki's statement. Tetsuya while hugging his wife proceeded to say, "Thank you for understanding me, sweetheart. Anyways we better get to the shopping district or else the stores we need to go to will be closed." Suddenly, Yuki realized what Tetsuya was saying is true and they left the bakery in a hurry.

Once they showed up in the shopping district, both Tetsuya and Yuki's stomachs started to growl. "Since the stores we want to go to are open for a few more hours. How about we get some lunch first?" Tetsuya stated in response to the feeling of being hungry. Yuki agreed to her husband's statement with a smile on her face and she suggested that they can eat at a restaurant nearby the main area of the shopping district. "That sounds good to me, sweetheart. It should give us time to think about what we need for our honeymoon." Tetsuya said with a joyful smile on his face.

After entering the restaurant and placing their orders, Tetsuya noticed that Yuki started to feel sad which concerned him. "Yuki, what's wrong?" Tetsuya stated while his hands were on top of Yuki's hands. It did not take long for Tetsuya to have a possible conclusion on why his wife was sad. "It's that what happened at the park when your sister snapped you out of the excitement spell you were in is still bothering me a little bit." Yuki responded with a calm look in her voice. Tetsuya realized that his conclusion was indeed right after all and he needed to think of something to cheer Yuki up. "Yuki, if that is still bothering you. Let's come up with a way in case if my excitement gibberish starts acting up again. This way will be unique in which you will be the one to use it. I mean yes Kushina's way is kind of somewhat embarrassing and it bothers me. I can understand how you feel about the situation right now." Tetsuya stated with reassurance in his voice.

In that moment, Yuki felt happy about her husband's statement and agreed to come up with ideas. Before Tetsuya and Yuki could sort out ideas, their food orders had arrived and proceeded to eat their lunch. "Tetsuya, my love, how about whenever you are in the excitement spell we dance and hug each other at the same time?" Yuki blurted out the first idea that immediately came into her head. "I love that idea a lot, sweetheart. It sounds perfect with me." Tetsuya stated in agreeing to Yuki's suggestion. A few moments later, they got done eating lunch and proceeded to walk around the shopping district.

Suddenly, Tetsuya saw a shop that specializes for accessories needed to for people spending time in a spa and resort. "How about we check this store out, Yuki?" Tetsuya asked after gazing at the store's entrance. Yuki was reluctant at first about the store and she decided to check it out alongside her husband. After walking around, Tetsuya had a few items in his hand which consisted of sunscreen, massaging lotion, towels, and swim trunks for himself. "Yikes, I have to get a swimsuit for myself. Sorry about that, honey I forgot that spas and resorts have swimming pools in them as well." Yuki stated in a panicked look on her face. "It's ok, Yuki. I will be sitting at the bench next to the dressing rooms." Tetsuya said in reassuring to Yuki that everything was going to be alright.

A few minutes had passed by, Yuki found the perfect swimsuit for herself and which Tetsuya was amazed with it after Yuki showed it to him. With that they proceeded to buy the previously mentioned items and were on their way back to the apartment. During their trip, back to the apartment both Tetsuya and Yuki while holding hands had smiles on their faces realizing the only thing that is left to do is packing these items alongside with a few pairs of clothes. "I'm glad that we got all the things we needed for our honeymoon. After we get done packing our things, is there anything special that you want to do today?" Yuki stated with a gleeful look on her face towards Tetsuya.

While they were packing their things for the honeymoon, Tetsuya had given the question Yuki asked him before they got to the apartment some serious thought. "There is nothing special that I can think of doing for the rest of day. Was there something special you want to do, sweetheart?" Tetsuya asked once his and Yuki's packing for their honeymoon was done. "I was thinking that we should visit with your sister and brother-in-law for a while. Since we won't be seeing our prospective families for a week. Even though we saw them this morning, I wanted to do something that makes us both happy." Yuki responded with honesty. That was when Tetsuya started to realize that what his wife said is true and agreed to her suggestion. Once Tetsuya and Yuki put their duffle bag in their bedroom, they left the apartment and went to Minato and Kushina's house.

Meanwhile, Kushina was getting her knitting material out to fix a tear that was on one of Minato's shirts and Minato was cleaning their kitchen thoroughly. That was until they heard a knock coming from their door and Kushina looked out of the window to see who it was. "I'm glad that you got that kitchen cleaned on time, you know." Kushina stated to Minato who appeared in the living room. "Why do you say that, Kushina?" Minato asked out of curiosity. Immediately, Kushina had Minato look out their window to see who was standing in the front door. "Oh, that's why you said that." Minato stated as he was about to open the door.

Yuki started to wonder if Minato and Kushina were even home in the first place. "They're home alright. I was looking around and saw Kushina popped her head through the window curtain." Tetsuya stated reassuring his wife's doubt feeling. Suddenly, the door opened with Tetsuya and Yuki seeing Minato there. They greeted each other and proceeded to head towards the living room. Kushina greeted both Tetsuya and Yuki once they sat down on the living room sofa.

After noticing what Kushina was doing, Yuki asked her what she was knitting out of plain curiosity. "*sighs* I'm just fixing up one of Minato's shirts. If you couldn't tell by the big rip in the left side. I had brought it out a few seconds before you guys showed up." Kushina responded while knitting Minato's shirt. Tetsuya started to smell the cleanliness of the kitchen all the way from the living room. Kushina then smiled as she noticed how observant Tetsuya and Yuki were about everything.

"What are you reading over there, Minato?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity. Minato then revealed that he was reading an article about medical procedures in hospitals over the entire area were getting an upgrade. That put a smile on Tetsuya's face and reminded him so much of his old mentor who was still in the world of the living. "I forgot to ask this when you guys stepped in. Do you want a glass of tea?" Minato stated in a forgetful look. Both Tetsuya and Yuki said yes on wanting a glass of tea. However, Yuki started to wonder why her husband was smiling after looking at the article.

Kushina then noticed the wondrous look Yuki was having and started to look at Tetsuya with a smile on her face. "I'm guessing from your facial expression on reading the article that it reminded you so much about your old sensei. Am I right, little brother?" Kushina asked based on her observance. Yuki was still baffled on what was going on. Tetsuya nodded his head yes as a response to Kushina's question and realized that Yuki was confused on what was going on. In that moment, Minato had brought out everybody a glass of tea and proceeded to sit on the sofa.

"Tetsuya, why is your wife acting all baffled and confused?" Minato asked out of curiosity. That is when Tetsuya realized he needed to tell Yuki about what Kushina was referring to. Even though, Tetsuya was reminded of that when he saw that Minato's old mentor, Jiraiya showed up for the wedding. "I am just confused on what Tetsuya and Kushina are talking about in the first place." Yuki stated before Tetsuya could answer Minato's question.

Tetsuya with a sigh underneath his breath was getting prepared to tell the entire truth about one piece of his past to his wife. "Yuki, I think there is something you need to know. It was something I had long forgotten to mention this. I was reminded through the fact that Minato's mentor was there at our wedding. After reading that article, has made me realize to state from what I am about to tell you." Tetsuya stated with a calm look on his face. Yuki's look changed from being confused to very curious on what her husband was going to say. Minato and Kushina had calm looks on their faces as they knew what Tetsuya was about to reveal.

"I had a sensei who took me in under her tutelage when I was younger. My sensei believe it or not was on the same as Minato's mentor, who she was very close friends with. Just like how me and Minato's friendship is very close. Anyways, my sensei's name was Tsunade and she is still in the world of the living. She was very well-known in regards to the medical profession and helped establish procedures for anyone wanting to ever become anything in the medical field across a few nations." Tetsuya stated a brief portion of the truth before taking in a sip of his tea.

"Did you end going into the medical profession since your sensei was well known for that line of work?" Yuki asked out of curiosity.

"No, but I learned everything about the medical procedures just in case if there was an instance of a major emergency. My sensei knew about the path that I wanted to take and she did her best to teach me everything she knew. That is why I tried to keep quiet on my knowledge of the medical procedures before our wedding since it would bring back those memories." Tetsuya responded to Yuki's question the best way he could.

After listening to Tetsuya explaining the truth about his mentor, Yuki was fascinated by the whole story. Kushina who was still knitting saw Yuki's expression and had felt joy that her brother told his wife basically that he knows the medical profession. "Since you got that out of the way. How was your day today?" Kushina asked both Tetsuya and Yuki with curiosity.

"It was great. We got the things needed for our honeymoon from some stores at the district. Then me and Yuki packed our things for that mentioned trip before coming here." Tetsuya responded with an honest look on his face. However, there was something that led Kushina and Minato being curious about something else.

"I was wondering. Was it your idea to come and visit us before your honeymoon, Tetsuya?" Minato stated his curiosity. Tetsuya shook his head no in response to Minato's question. Suddenly, Minato and Kushina were surprised to know that it was Yuki's idea to visit them.

"I figured since we are family that it would be fair for both me and Tetsuya to have a share of visiting our perspective families. This is something that we value very dearly in our hearts. Also, I want to have the same close tight bond towards you guys like Tetsuya does." Yuki stated the truth behind the visit to Minato and Kushina's house. Tetsuya was amazed to hear the statement that his wife just said and he could not be more proud of her deciding like that. Kushina was very thrilled to hear that her sister-in-law wants to be closer to her and Minato.

"What did you guys do today if you don't mind me asking?" Tetsuya stated with a very curious look to Minato and Kushina. Minato then explained that him and Kushina did not do much other than the duties they were doing before Tetsuya and Yuki showed up. Tetsuya proceeded to take his and Yuki's glasses to the kitchen sink where he cleaned them off.

A few minutes later, Tetsuya and Yuki were getting ready to leave for the apartment. "Thank you for stopping by, you know. Have a wonderful time on your honeymoon and be safe. I love you guys." Kushina stated goodbyes to Tetsuya and Yuki on her and Minato's behalf. Tetsuya assured that him and Yuki will be safe on their honeymoon; also, he and Yuki promised to give Kushina and Minato details about how the honeymoon went once they return from it.

"Man, I sure am tired. How about we get some shut eye for tomorrow since it is a long way from here to the resort?" Yuki stated as she and Tetsuya made it back to the apartment. Tetsuya told Yuki to go on ahead and that he will be in the bedroom in a little while. Yuki proceeded to get ready for bed and headed off to sleep. While sitting on the sofa, Tetsuya was looking at the article that he read while him and Yuki were at Minato and Kushina's house. " _Even though I am fully ready for the honeymoon that me and Yuki are going on tomorrow. It's that this article had me remembered a key moment in my life long ago. That made realize the day when Tsunade-sensei comes up here to the Pure Land, she would be very proud of everything I have ever done up to this point._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while placing the article underneath a few books on the coffee table and went off to bed.


	34. The Honeymoon: Part One

34

The Honeymoon: Part One

Tetsuya and Yuki had got up around their usual time proceeding to eat a quick breakfast before heading out to the resort. Not even taking a step out of the apartment, Yuki reminded Tetsuya that he forgot to get their duffle bag. "Oh…sorry about that." Tetsuya stated in an apologetic look towards his wife. Yuki forgave her husband after he grabbed the duffle bag and locked up the apartment. "Are we truly ready to go, dear?" Yuki stated with a wondrous look on her face. Immediately, Tetsuya nodded his head yes and they were officially on their way to the resort.

It took an hour and a half for Tetsuya and Yuki to reach the resort all the way from the apartment. "I really can't believe that the resort is on the other side of the shopping district. It looks bigger than the pictures shown in the catalogue that I looked at a while back." Tetsuya stated in amazement about the size of the resort. In that moment, Tetsuya and Yuki walked up to the front desk of the resort.

Upon pulling out the coupons, Tetsuya gave them to the receptionist and the coupon transaction was approved. "You guys will have the honeymoon suite which is situated on the fifth floor. Enjoy your stay." The receptionist stated as she gave the room keys of the honeymoon suite to Tetsuya. Both Tetsuya and Yuki proceeded to thank the receptionist before heading off to the honeymoon suite.

"Wow, this is really nice. The room has a big bath and jacuzzi. Also, a large bed and scenic view of the pool inside the resort. We are going to love spending one wonderful week here; relaxing just the two of us." Tetsuya stated while looking at Yuki who was amazed about the honeymoon suite. Then, Tetsuya proceeded to put their things in the shelves that were situated in front of the bed. "I wonder where the spa is, my love. Because I want to check it out." Yuki stated out of curiosity.

Suddenly, Tetsuya remembered that while him and Yuki first walked into the resort that the spa was on the far-left side away from the front desk. "What is it, dear?" Yuki asked her husband who had a suspicious look on his face. Upon realizing that Yuki had wondered about his thought, Tetsuya explained to her that he has an idea of where the spa is. "Oh ok. We should check it out after a short while. But first I want to unwind on the nice comfortable bed." Yuki stated as she laid her body on the bed. Tetsuya agreed to his wife's decision and decided to sit on the chair nearby to read more information behind the features within the honeymoon suite just to kill some time.

Shortly after that, Yuki wounded up taking a nap and Tetsuya went to pull out a book he had packed to wait until his wife woke up. Not even turning a page within the book, Tetsuya notices that Yuki woke up from her nap. Yuki then looked at Tetsuya who just put down his book with a sad look on her face. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" Tetsuya asked once he put his hand on Yuki's shoulder.

"I had a bad nightmare which scared me in my nap." Yuki stated with an honest voice and proceeded to put her head-on Tetsuya's lap. Tetsuya assured Yuki that everything was going to be alright and reminded her about checking out the spa.

In that moment, Tetsuya and Yuki went down to the main floor of the resort where the spa was to glance around. A sign was written on the entranceway stating the types of services the spa offers and would not be open until the next day. "Hmmm…I was thinking about getting a pedicure and manicure." Tetsuya stated once he and Yuki got back to the honeymoon suite. Yuki gave a little chuckle on what her husband just said.

Having a blushed look on his face Tetsuya proceeded to say, "There is nothing wrong with men getting pedicures and manicures."

"Sorry I had to laugh about that, honey. I did not mean to offend your decision." Yuki said with a regretful look on her face.

Tetsuya accepted Yuki's apology and started to wonder about ideas for dinner which Yuki had caught on immediately. Then Tetsuya remembered while looking at the catalog that it mentioned there were two restaurants: one across the street from the resort and the other being on the right-hand side of the desk in the main lobby area. Pulling out the catalog is when Tetsuya and Yuki started to narrow down their ideas before choosing the one inside the resort.

While getting ready to head down for dinner, Tetsuya's cell phone started to go off and he checked to see who it was. The person that called Tetsuya's phone was Kyou, which was a sudden surprise for Tetsuya.

"Oh, hello Kyou. How are you and Ryou doing?" Tetsuya started the phone conversation trying to multitask.

Upon hearing who Tetsuya was talking to on the phone, Yuki had a smile on her face and told Tetsuya that she says hi to the Fujibayashi sisters.

"We are doing good. So, what are you and Yuki up to?" Kyou responded back to Tetsuya's statement.

"Me and Yuki are actually on our honeymoon right now. By the way, Yuki wanted me to tell you guys that she says hello." Tetsuya said with no hesitation in his voice.

Kyou realizing that Tetsuya and Yuki were on the honeymoon; she wished them the best of luck on their honeymoon and ended the phone call. Tetsuya then put his cell phone on silent as he was about ready to head down for dinner and did not have to wait much longer before Yuki was all ready to go. "You look very lovely in that dress, sweetheart." Tetsuya stated with pure amazement in his face looking at his wife. Yuki thanked Tetsuya for the wonderful compliment and they started to head down to the restaurant in the resort.

Realizing that the resort's restaurant was real fancy in terms of the type of attire required to enter it. Luckily, Tetsuya had on a real nice shirt and khakis or else him and Yuki would have been kicked out of the restaurant. With that in mind, Tetsuya and Yuki expected the type of food that was served in the restaurant would be more on the lines made by professional chefs. It did not take long for them to figure out what they wanted to order.

"This is a pretty restaurant. Look around it has very nice scenery all over the pace. Wouldn't you agree, my love?" Yuki asked her husband after glancing around the restaurant to kill time before their order showed up.

"Yes, it is very pretty. Just as pretty like you are right now." Tetsuya stated after kissing Yuki's hand and looking up right at her with a big smile on his face.

"Well…. that was very sweet of you to say this, dear." Yuki stated with a nervous and blush look showing up on her face.

Not too long after that, Tetsuya and Yuki's order came out which turned out to be a fabulous dinner. This is somewhat Tetsuya had expected it to be considering this was the first big meal that him and Yuki ate since arriving at the resort earlier in the day. Tetsuya who was still eating his order noticed that Yuki started to feel full from eating about most of her dinner.

"Do you want me to ask the waiter if they can bring a box so that you can save the rest of it for later, Yuki?" Tetsuya stated once he got done eating his dinner.

"Not really but thank you for the offer though." Yuki responded with a smile on her face.

After leaving the restaurant a few minutes later, Yuki wanted to check out the pool and she was amazed on how big it was. Tetsuya who was standing a few away looking at the main lobby had a smile on his face. Yuki then nudged Tetsuya's shoulder to notify him that she was ready to head back up to the honeymoon suite.

"How did you think of the pool, sweetheart?" Tetsuya said the first thing that was on his mind once he and Yuki made it back to the honeymoon suite.

"The pool was very beautiful and alright considering it is the only indoor pool that's in this resort." Yuki responded with a joyous smile on her face.

Tetsuya was glad that Yuki so far has liked the resort and he proceeded to take a shower. In that moment, Yuki had pondered on about something that she thought it would be foolish to ask Tetsuya regardless of the answer he might give her.

"The shower's ready for you, sweetheart. You seem to be curious about something." Tetsuya stated with a partial concern look on his face once he got out of the shower.

"Oh thank you, Tetsuya. There is something that's bugging me but I will tell you once I get out of the shower." Yuki said while on her way to take a shower.

This was the beginning of not only the honeymoon for Tetsuya and Yuki; also, it is the origin of a very crucial discussion which will be the first one they face since getting married.


	35. The Honeymoon: Part Two

35

The Honeymoon: Part Two

After getting out of the shower, Yuki had sat right next to Tetsuya who was in the chair nearby the bed. Tetsuya was starting to get more curious in what Yuki wanted to tell him prior to taking her shower. A few seconds later, Yuki started to blush before thinking of the right words to say towards Tetsuya in a way that he can only understand. Tetsuya was not in a big hurry so he gave Yuki more time to think about anything.

"What is it that you wanted to tell me, Yuki?" Tetsuya stated once he noticed that Yuki was about to say something.

"Umm…. this might sound crazy for me to say. I don't know if I should tell you or not." Yuki stated while second-guessing herself and she started to get dead-beat nervous.

"You can tell me anything, sweetheart. I know you are afraid to say something that is important for the past hour now. Have the courage to tell me what is really on your mind." Tetsuya said in a reassuring tone to Yuki.

In that moment, there was a bolt of courage that came through Yuki so she can truly say what she needed to let Tetsuya know about. Even though there were still some signs of Yuki being nervous but she had to persevere through that obstacle. With taking a couple of deep breaths, Yuki was fully ready to tell Tetsuya what was on her mind.

"*sighs* I was thinking about that since we are married now. There is something that I wish to happen which has been a dream of mine for a very long time now other than marrying you of course, my love." Yuki stated part of a statement while looking at a very curious Tetsuya.

"What is it that you are wishing about, sweetheart?" Tetsuya stated with a suspicious look on his face.

"I wish that we can start a family of our own, Tetsuya. Basically, I want to have a baby." Yuki blurted out the rest of her statement with the nervous look being gone.

That put a state of joy into Tetsuya's face because other than marrying the girl of his dreams; he wanted to be a father and raise a family. However, there was an issue pertaining to that which made a grave concern go on Tetsuya.

"You do realize that if we start a family of our own, the child which will be ours is not going to be in the world of the living but instead being here in the Pure Land." Tetsuya stated his upmost concern to Yuki after hearing her wish.

"Yes, I know that Tetsuya. I have read about the stipulations of creating life here in the Pure Land. It did state that anyone can produce a child the exact same way as if we were in the world of living. So, I am definitely making this wish to hopefully become reality." Yuki stated in a strong reassuring voice.

Tetsuya had a big sigh of relief based on what he heard his wife saying just now. Immediately having that tense conversation, both Tetsuya and Yuki went off to sleep so they can venture into relaxing at the spa. However, with that conversation, this had given Tetsuya and Yuki something to seriously think about during the duration of their honeymoon which was six more days.

The following day, Tetsuya and Yuki had got ready to head to the spa so they can get their pedicure and manicures. Once they arrived at the spa, Tetsuya noticed that the spa was very busy and told Yuki that they would have to wait for their turn. Yuki had felt calm mainly after the deep conversation she had with Tetsuya the night before. It was then that Yuki realized the point of the conversation ended up making Tetsuya happy rather than thinking her wish was crazy. However, Tetsuya and Yuki had to set that aside because it came time for them to be pedicured and manicured.

"Is there anything special you want to do after we get done here at the spa, sweetheart?" Tetsuya stated as he noticed Yuki was staring off while in the middle of the pedicure.

"Umm… not really. I just want to relax back in the suite." Yuki responded with a very bland look on her face.

This response had started to bother Tetsuya from the time the pedicure end all the way until him and Yuki left the spa. Suddenly, Yuki had rushed back to the suite and Tetsuya was trying to catch up to her. Upon entering the suite, Tetsuya noticed that Yuki was starting to feel very sad and a few tears were dripping down her face.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Tetsuya said out of concern while wiping off the tears in Yuki's face.

"*sobs* I don't know what overcame me last night with that conversation. It was something that started to put me down emotionally since then. *sniffles* I was a fool to tell you such things yesterday." Yuki stating while tears were still dripping down her face.

Tetsuya proceeded to look at Yuki with a calm look on his face. Realizing that Yuki was getting to the point where her emotions were about to go haywire; Tetsuya had to come up with something to say or else their honeymoon would be ruined. Immediately, Tetsuya had placed both of his hands-on Yuki's face so he can look at her and continuing wiping off the tears.

"Yuki, you are not a fool for telling me what you had to last night. I don't want you to feel very hurt about the conversation. Also, I don't want this ruining our honeymoon. All I want is for us to be happy." Tetsuya stated with reassurance in his voice.

"I'm sorry if I ruined our day at the spa and caused you any concern, my love." Yuki said once she embraced herself onto Tetsuya's arms.

Tetsuya told Yuki that it was alright and accepted her apology. However, Yuki noticed how the pedicure and manicures turned out which gave her a big smile on her face. Tetsuya felt very relieved that Yuki was happy on the pedicure and manicure right before he gave her a kiss on the forehead. Immediately, Yuki started to blush after Tetsuya's reaction and it made her feel a little frisky.

"Uhh… Yuki what are you doing?" Tetsuya stated as he noticed Yuki was about to do something crazy.

In that moment, Yuki dragged Tetsuya and they kissed each other for what it seemed like a couple of hours. Not realizing what they just did for some reason both Tetsuya and Yuki felt tired and relieved once the intense kissing stopped. A few minutes after this kissing stopped, Tetsuya took a shower while Yuki was soaking in on what just happened between the two of them.

"*yawns* today was an unforgettable day, my love. It feels like what we might plan for the rest of our honeymoon is going to be repeated anyways except today and yesterday's events. I will be off to bed once I get done with my shower." Yuki stated once Tetsuya got out of the shower.

"That I could not agree even more now than ever. I am going off to bed. Good night, sweetheart." Tetsuya responded back right as he laid down on the mattress.

The course of events that transpired on the second day of Tetsuya and Yuki's honeymoon was something that completely altered their lives in the Pure Land forever. The statement Yuki gave to her husband before heading into the shower seemed to fully resonate in Tetsuya's heart while he slept.


	36. The Honeymoon: Epilogue

36

The Honeymoon: Epilogue

During the following four days of their honeymoon, Tetsuya and Yuki had spent that entire time either swimming around in the resort's pool or getting soothing massages from the spa. It showed that what Yuki had told Tetsuya on the second night of their honeymoon was coming into fruition after all. However, being the considerate couple that they are Tetsuya and Yuki wanted to bring their perspective families a gift from the resort that they can give them upon their return. That was to transpire on the final day right before leaving the resort and concluding the honeymoon.

"That was a very wonderful honeymoon, sweetheart. What do you want to get out of the gift shop?" Tetsuya stating to Yuki who was looking at the resort's gift shop.

"Well I was thinking that we should give my mom and Kushina recipe books that are shown on the display case here." Yuki responded while staring at the recipe books.

"That is a great idea, sweetheart. If you want to you can get a copy of the recipe book for us?" Tetsuya said with consideration in his voice.

Yuki had a smile on her face and proceeded to get three copies of the recipe book. In that moment, placing the books in their duffle bag Tetsuya and Yuki left the resort in the direction for the apartment. Even though they were saddened that the honeymoon was ending, Tetsuya and Yuki felt that they were truly acting like a married couple. After unpacking their things at the apartment, Tetsuya and Yuki noticed that there was a note placed on the dining room table.

"Hmm…that's odd a note placed here in our dining room table. I didn't notice it when we got here, my love. Do you want to check it out?" Yuki stated in a curious tone looking at Tetsuya.

"Sure I will look at it while you are in the shower, sweetheart." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face.

With Yuki taking a quick shower, Tetsuya looked at the note to see that it was written by Kushina. This note stated that once Tetsuya and Yuki got back from their honeymoon that their presence was required at the Sakagami Bakery. " _Seems like my sister just wrote this note today. Hmm…why would she want me and Yuki to be at the bakery? If this is the case, then we should bring the gifts we brought with us._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once Yuki got out of the shower.

"Sweetheart, do you mind if we head by the bakery?" Tetsuya asked Yuki once she made it back to the living room.

"Ok, I will get on my shoes. What about you, my love?" Yuki responded once she headed near the front door.

"I will take my shower once we get back. If you were wondering what that note said it had something to do with us needing to be at the bakery. I will also grab the two copies of the recipe book we got from the resort gift shop." Tetsuya stated as he was heading back into the bedroom to grab the books and grabbed his shoes.

While on route to the bakery, Yuki started to wonder why her and Tetsuya were needed at the bakery immediately coming home from the honeymoon. Tetsuya noticed that Yuki was feeling the same way he did after reading the note Kushina placed on the dining room table. Once the bakery was in sight, Tetsuya and Yuki noticed two familiar faces standing outside of the bakery anticipating their arrival who were none other than Minato and Yosaki.

"Welcome back, Tetsuya and Yuki. If you were wondering why your presence was required here today. It's that Kushina and Shiznae were planning a huge family dinner for all of us." Yosaki said while greeting Tetsuya and Yuki.

"So how was your guys' honeymoon?" Minato asked out of curiosity.

"Not to be rude or anything, Minato. Me and Yuki are planning on answering that question once we get into the dining room." Tetsuya responded with a stern voice.

Yuki put a sigh underneath her breath and understood that Tetsuya with his statement was answering it trying not be selfish. With that all four of them proceeded to enter the bakery and went straight towards the living room. Noticing that Tetsuya and Yuki were in sight, Shia gave them a big hug to represent her greeting and right behind her was Shiznae who stated a quick greeting to the married couple.

"*sighs* I am guessing the mastermind of this plan is in the kitchen making dinner." Tetsuya said while noticing that Kushina was not nearby Shia and Shiznae.

"Mastermind, what are you talking about?" Yuki asked after hearing her husband's statement.

Tetsuya then explained to Yuki that Kushina was the one that wrote the note back at the dining room of their apartment. That put a little sigh of relief on Yuki after understanding the purpose behind this situation.

"I am going into the kitchen to greet Kushina. If you want to Yuki, you can visit with your mother and sister while I do this?" Tetsuya stated right before entering the kitchen.

Yuki nodded her head in response to Tetsuya's question and went into the dining room table to chat with her family and Minato. Tetsuya walked into the kitchen with a smile on his face seeing his sister cooking up a huge dinner.

"Hello, little brother. So, you guys got my note?" Kushina stated once she heard Tetsuya's footsteps in the kitchen.

"Yes I sure did, Sis. What are you cooking for dinner?" Tetsuya responded as he was standing right next to the kitchen sink.

"I am making my special dish, you know." Kushina responded with a smile on her face immediately after the Kushina Special was done cooking.

Seeing that the dinner was done, Tetsuya helped Kushina bring the food onto the dining room table where everyone else had been sitting at. Then Tetsuya proceeded to take a seat right next to Yuki and he blessed the food before everyone could eat it. After eating the dinner, the Sakagamis, Minato and Kushina had wondrous looks on their faces at Tetsuya and Yuki.

"How was your honeymoon?" Shia asked with curiosity towards Tetsuya and Yuki.

"It was great and we got to spend most of our time at the spa. The resort gave us a nice suite during our stay there. Kushina and Mom we brought back something for you guys from the resort." Yuki responded as she was getting ready to hand the recipe books to Kushina and Shiznae.

After receiving the recipe books from Yuki, both Kushina and Shiznae thanked both Tetsuya and Yuki for the gift. Not even taking a step out of the dining room, Tetsuya had been approached by Yosaki to come to the back porch. Yuki noticed this and decided to visit with the others while her husband and father were going to the back porch.

"Tetsuya, I am glad that the honeymoon turned out good. At least you made Yuki very happy. I came out here to tell you that your sister and brother-in-law have been helping us a lot while you were away. Me and Shiznae are grateful that they did that for us." Yosaki stated to Tetsuya with honesty in his voice.

"That was very nice of Minato and Kushina helping you guys out; I feel grateful just like you are about the situation. I just can't wait to be back at work tomorrow. I just have a feeling that Yuki might have real strenuous shifts at work for the next couple of weeks and it concerns me." Tetsuya stated with potential concern on his face.

"Why do you say that, Tetsuya?" Yosaki asked about the last part of Tetsuya's statement.

"*sighs* It's that more recently Yuki has been acting very strange after doing certain things which I know makes us happy. I am afraid that if she acts like this at work, then she would be losing her chances of getting a promotion that she always wanted." Tetsuya responded with honesty in his voice.

Yosaki understood what Tetsuya meant and he gave him assurance that there is nothing to be afraid of. In that moment, both Yosaki and Tetsuya went back into the dining room to see that everyone else was done cleaning up dinner dishes. It did not take long to notice for Tetsuya to see that Yuki was not in the dining room.

"If you are looking for Yuki. She went to the front entrance of the bakery and wanted to wait for you to get done with the conversation. However, Minato and Kushina went after her to have a little chat. See you tomorrow, Tetsuya." Shia said to Tetsuya who had a wondrous look on his face.

"Ok thank you, Shia. I will see you guys tomorrow." Tetsuya stated as he was going towards the entranceway to the bakery.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the bakery, Tetsuya noticed that Yuki had waited patiently for his arrival. With that both Tetsuya and Yuki headed back to the apartment, it left Tetsuya with curiosity into what Yuki's conversation with Minato and Kushina was about. Immediately entering the apartment, Tetsuya went straight into the shower while Yuki proceeded to sit in their sofa waiting for him to get done with his actions.

"Sweetheart, what did Minato and Kushina have to say to you?" Tetsuya stated the first thing coming to his mind upon sitting in the sofa after getting out of the shower.

"*sighs* they wanted to know if you were treating me well, being grateful to fill your position at work, and wondering how you are feeling. I told them you are treating me very good and you're feeling wonderful. So, what did you and my dad have to talk about, my love?" Yuki stated with honesty in her face.

"Hmm…. basically, the same thing you just said. We are very lucky that we did not tell them what happened on the second night of our honeymoon." Tetsuya said with a sigh of relief on his face.

Yuki was glad about Tetsuya's statement since the latter part of it she did not tell Minato and Kushina about it as well. Knowing that they were going to be real busy with their first day back to work the next day, Tetsuya and Yuki went straight to bed.


	37. The Expected News

37

The Expected News

Three weeks had passed since the honeymoon; things were going great with Tetsuya and Yuki. That is until very recently when Yuki had come home from work very fatigued to the point where Tetsuya did most of the housework which Yuki does and began to experience morning sickness. This alone had Tetsuya concern to the point where he had to contact a doctor requesting an appointment for Yuki to have a checkup. It was very fortunate for Tetsuya that when he made the appointment call that the doctor would see Yuki the following day.

"Sweetheart, do you have anything special going on tomorrow?" Tetsuya asked Yuki who woke up from a nap on the sofa.

"Not really, my love. Oh, man I feel nauseated again." Yuki stated as she started to have another trip towards the bathroom for another round of morning sickness.

Suddenly, Tetsuya heard a knock coming from the apartment door and he quickly opened the door. It was Shiznae who knocked the door and she had been showing up to the apartment mostly every day since Yuki's symptoms first started showing.

"Hello, Shiznae." Tetsuya stated with a concern look on his face.

"What's wrong, Tetsuya?" Shiznae asked out of concern seeing the expression her son-in-law gave her.

Before Tetsuya could answer Shiznae's question; a very loud vomit sound came from the bathroom. That immediately answered the question Shiznae had asked Tetsuya.

"*sighs* I had called the doctor to make an appointment for Yuki. They told me that tomorrow is the best option the office had after explaining about Yuki's situation. Shiznae, frankly this is worrying me a lot to the point where I am about to have a breakdown." Tetsuya said in a panicked state.

"Tetsuya, everything's going to be ok. I promise you that. How about I take Yuki to the appointment tomorrow?" Shiznae asked out of curiosity.

Unbeknownst to both Tetsuya and Shiznae, Yuki had overheard the entire conversation and made her way back to the sofa. Tetsuya was feeling a little upset over the fact that the entire situation has made him completely stressed out. Yuki with the considerate heart she has had to come up with a way to make Tetsuya not overly stressed out.

"Honey, I am fine with my mom taking me to the appointment tomorrow. I think that while I am at the appointment you should head over by Kushina and Minato's. Don't think I know the stress you have been going through since I started vomiting in the bathroom the past couple of weeks. My suggestion should help you feel relieved and besides once I get done with the appointment. I am planning on meeting you're over there anyways." Yuki stated with full concern written all over her face looking at Tetsuya.

That put a sigh of relief on Tetsuya's face to the point where there were barely any signs of being stressed out. Shiznae then left the apartment with the fact that she was going to tell Yosaki and Shia what is going on. Since Yosaki and Shia had been very concerned about the way Yuki was acting in the past couple of weeks to the point where Shiznae was their stress reliever. A few hours had passed, both Tetsuya and Yuki went to sleep for the night. However, Yuki barely got any sleep since she had to get up three times to make trips to the bathroom. This had affected Tetsuya's sleep pattern as well.

The following day, Shiznae went to the apartment so she could take Yuki to the doctor's appointment and Tetsuya got ready to follow through with Yuki's plan. Feeling very exhausted from the lack of sleep, Tetsuya did his best effort to leave the apartment for Minato and Kushina's house.

"Are you going to be alright, my love?" Yuki stated out of concern.

Tetsuya nodded his head yes and proceeded to give a yawn as he was making his way to the destination. Unbeknownst to Tetsuya, Shiznae had told Yosaki and Shia to go over to Minato and Kushina's house when she notifies them that her and Yuki are leaving the doctor's office.

"Ok I will see you later at Kushina and *yawns* Minato's house." Tetsuya said to Yuki before giving her a goodbye kiss.

While at Minato and Kushina's household, Kushina just got done serving her and Minato breakfast. Halfway through eating their meal, a loud knock came from their door and Kushina got up from the table to see who it was. In that moment, Kushina opened the door to see Tetsuya standing there all drowsy.

"Hi Sis and Minato. Mind if I…" Tetsuya stated before he passed out right on Kushina's arms.

"Are you alright, can you hear me little brother? Minato, can you help me drag Tetsuya onto the sofa and put a blanket on top of him." Kushina said in a worried state barely realizing that Tetsuya was falling deeply asleep in her arms.

Minato rushed to Kushina's aid and did exactly what she told him to do. In turn that caused Minato to feel worried about his best friend. It got to the point where Kushina had placed a cup of water on the table across from the sofa when Tetsuya wakes up. A half hour passed by and Tetsuya started to wake up noticing that Kushina and Minato were sitting in the living room.

"You're awake, little brother. Me and Minato were worried about you. I placed a glass of water in front of you in case if you were thirsty, you know." Kushina said once she noticed Tetsuya was awake.

"I'm sorry if I caused you guys any concern. It's that very recently I have not been getting much sleep since Yuki's fatigue and morning sickness had gotten out of control. She is at the doctor's office hopefully to find out what is wrong with her." Tetsuya said after taking a sip of water.

"How come you are not with her at the doctor's office, Tetsuya?" Minato asked out of curiosity.

"Yuki had requested for me to come here and her mother wanted to take her. *sighs*I have been under a lot of stress due to this situation and it is at the point where I would mentally breakdown. Besides Yuki said she was going to stop by here once her appointment was over with." Tetsuya responded with honesty in his voice.

Kushina realized that Yuki was being very considerate into having Tetsuya coming here and it lead her to telling Tetsuya that everything is going to be alright also not to have a mental breakdown. Noticing that Tetsuya's stomach was growling, Kushina was nice enough to fix Tetsuya a plate of the breakfast she originally made for her and Minato. Tetsuya thanked Kushina for fixing him breakfast and started to think about how Yuki was doing at the doctor's office.

Meanwhile, Yuki and Shiznae were waiting outside the doctor's office before they could be seen. This caused Shiznae to feel a little agitated because of the atmosphere of the waiting room was shallow. That is until a few minutes later when a nurse called Yuki to sit in one of examination rooms. Suddenly, the doctor had appeared not even ten minutes with Yuki being in the examination room and Shiznae was sitting there in concern.

"Hmm…I see that your chart states that you've been experiencing morning sickness and fatigue. Something is very suspicious about your symptoms, Yuki. Do you mind if we take a sample of your blood to figure out what is causing these symptoms?" The doctor said to Yuki after reading her chart.

Yuki reluctantly agreed to have the doctor do some lab work to figure out what is wrong with her. This caused Shiznae to ask the doctor if she can have a talk with him in private.

"Doctor, when will we find out the results of the blood work?" Shiznae asked out of curiosity.

"It takes about twenty minutes for the results to come in. You don't have to worry about waiting a very long time." The doctor responded to Shiznae's question.

That put a sigh of relief on Shiznae's face and the doctor got Yuki ready to take a sample of her blood. This had Shiznae wondering if the symptoms that the doctor mentioned to Yuki was something totally unexpected happening. Then the allotted time had elapsed for the results to come in which the doctor walked in with a calm look on his face before he can tell Yuki and Shiznae what the results state.

"Doctor, what are the results from the blood test?" Yuki said with concern on her face.

"Well based on the results I have looked at. Congratulations, Yuki you are going to have a baby. In other terms, you're pregnant. Before you leave, here is the number to the gynecologist that I highly recommend and set up an appointment with her." The doctor told the news in a honest fashion.

Yuki felt happy with the news while Shiznae was filled with pure joy. With the card containing the gynecologist's number, Yuki and Shiznae left the doctor's office which they notified Yosaki and Shia to head towards Minato and Kushina's house. Meanwhile at Minato and Kushina's house, Tetsuya had been helping Minato doing some of the house chores while Kushina was knitting away.

Suddenly, Kushina heard a knock on the front door and let in Yosaki and Shia upon opening the door. Tetsuya who had finished the household chores noticed his father-in-law and sister-in-law sitting in the living room.

"If you were wondering, Yuki and Shiznae left the doctor's office about five minutes ago. They are on their way here." Yosaki said once Tetsuya noticed him.

"Did they say anything else other than that?" Tetsuya asked with concern on his face.

Shia nodded her head no and this made Tetsuya more curious about the doctor's appointment. Minato, Kushina, Yosaki, and Shia told Tetsuya that what news he hears they ensured him that everything is going to be fine. A few minutes later, Yuki and Shiznae showed up at Minato and Kushina's house.

"What did the doctor have to say?" Yosaki asked once Yuki and Shiznae entered the living room.

Tetsuya noticed that Yuki was rubbing her hand all over her stomach. That action had Tetsuya remember the last time he had seen something like that. " _The very last time I had seen somebody doing this was when Kushina found out she was pregnant with Naruto. Wait a minute…..._ " Tetsuya thought to himself with a very surprised look on his face.

Kushina caught on what Tetsuya was looking at specifically and looked at her brother with an unforgettable smile on his face.

"Yuki, does this mean what I think it is?" Tetsuya asked with a joyous look on his face.

"Yes, Tetsuya, I am going to be a mother to _our_ child. In other terms, I'm pregnant." Yuki responded with a smile on her face.

Suddenly, tears of joy started to spread on Tetsuya's face and hugged Yuki while quietly uttering to her, "we did it sweetheart." Immediately, everyone was amazed to hear the news proceeding to congratulate both Tetsuya and Yuki. This baffled everyone into how come Tetsuya knew the news about Yuki's pregnancy.

"How did you know, Tetsuya?" Shia asked out of curiosity.

"*sighs* It's because I had personally witnessed this kind of pregnancy revealing once before. Isn't that right, Sis?" Tetsuya responded while looking straight at Kushina.

"Yes, I am surprised you remembered that day. At least your reaction was a lot different than Minato's." Kushina said while patting Tetsuya's shoulder.

"Anyways, thank you guys for the congratulations. It meant a lot to me and Yuki." Tetsuya expressed the thanks on his and Yuki's behalf.

That had changed Tetsuya and Yuki's time in the Pure Land for all of eternity including the people they knew. Now began the long preparations for Tetsuya and Yuki getting ready to become first time parents. In regards to Minato and Kushina's reaction, Tetsuya felt happy that they took the news of being an aunt and uncle to heart. This lead to Minato notifying all their friends back in the Pure Land Leaf Village about the news. Then the Fujibayashi sisters heard the news the following day at the bakery.


	38. The Reunion of Mentor and Pupil

38

The Reunion of Mentor and Pupil

It had been three months since Yuki announced her pregnancy and things were starting to get a little strenuous. Tetsuya with excitement could not wait to be a father but he is doing his best to comfort Yuki throughout this memorable time. To top it off Tetsuya and Yuki came back from an ultrasound appointment which revealed the gender of the baby. So, Tetsuya and Yuki decided to share the news by bringing their family to the bakery. On the way to the bakery from the gynecologist's office, Tetsuya held Yuki's hand with a big smile on his face while looking at Yuki and the growing belly.

Once they arrived at the bakery, Tetsuya and Yuki noticed that their family was in the living room. Yuki started to feel a little nervous about doing the gender reveal, but Tetsuya reassured her that no matter the reaction their family is going to give they will be filled with happy feelings. In that moment, Tetsuya let Yuki into the living room first so he can think of a way to tell the gender revealing news until it dawned on him.

"Come on, honey. Everyone is waiting in anticipation for us to reveal what our baby is going to be." Yuki stated as she was going to get Tetsuya.

Tetsuya felt confident enough to tell Minato, Kushina, Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia the news. Yuki was looking at Tetsuya with a big smile on her face.

"Me and Yuki are going to have a baby girl." Tetsuya stated the news after pulling out a pink towel.

Kushina, Shiznae, and Shia were filled with joy based on hearing the news contrary to Minato and Yosaki who had calm looks on their faces. In that moment, Yosaki wanted to have a private conversation with Tetsuya at the playground across from the bakery. Tetsuya was baffled at first into why Yosaki wanted to talk to him privately.

"Congratulations, Tetsuya. There is a piece of advice that I want to share to you now." Yosaki said in a calm voice.

"Thank you, Yosaki. What is the advice you want to tell me?" Tetsuya responded with a curious look on his face.

"Remember this, Tetsuya since you are going to have a daughter. There will be times when she will come up to you sad and wanting you to comfort her. This is basically like how you love your wife; however, the kind of love you will gain is a fatherly love. That type of love will give you more intuition on things that are like no other." Yosaki stated his advice to Tetsuya.

Tetsuya thanked Yosaki for the advice and promised that he will give that advice into very serious consideration. Then Tetsuya and Yosaki decided to head back into the bakery before their wives get very concerned about their whereabouts. By the time Tetsuya made it back to the living room, he noticed that Yuki had a calm look on her face.

"While you and Dad were out talking, my mom suggested that the four of us should have an outing tomorrow which we are going to do some shopping for preparing the baby's room. Is that ok with you, honey?" Yuki stated once Tetsuya entered the room.

"That will be fine with me since I had nothing planned anyways for tomorrow." Tetsuya responded with honesty.

"Well we did try asking Minato and Kushina if they wanted to come with us but they told me and Yuki that something urgent came up which is why they did not want to come. In case if Yuki didn't mention that to you earlier." Shiznae stated after hearing Tetsuya's response.

Yosaki agreed to accompany Yuki, Shiznae, and Tetsuya for their outing the next day. With that plan figured out, Yuki was starting to feel tired and wanted to head back to the apartment. Then Tetsuya and Yuki left the bakery for the apartment since they needed to get plenty of rest for the anticipated outing.

Unbeknownst to Tetsuya, the urgent business of Minato and Kushina's that Shiznae was referring to a phone call that Minato had two days prior to the gender reveal with Hiruzen. It was just like any ordinary day; Minato was looking through a book while Kushina was knitting a piece of her torn clothing before the phone started to ring. Then Minato had placed the book down and picked up the phone to see who it was.

"Hello, Minato. How are you and Kushina doing?" Hiruzen stated once the phone call went through.

"Oh, hello Lord Third. Things are going good with me and Kushina. It's that Kushina is excited to hear what the gender of Tetsuya's baby is going to be which is two days from now." Minato responded to Hiruzen's question.

"That is good to hear. However, there is something very urgent I need to tell you and Kushina but promise me to keep it a secret from Tetsuya. If you can put your phone on speaker so Kushina can hear this as well." Hiruzen said to Minato in a stern voice.

Minato then proceeded to have Kushina sit right next to him before putting the phone on speaker. Kushina was baffled at first into why Minato wanted her to sit next to him and Minato verified to Hiruzen that the phone was on speaker.

"It was yesterday, I had been summoned to the entrance to the Pure Land because Jiraiya had notified me that there was a familiar face arrived into the afterlife. Once I got there the person that Jiraiya was referring to had been none other than Tsunade." Hiruzen stated with honesty.

"Wait a minute, you mean Tsunade's here in the Pure Land. Why do you want us to keep this secret from Tetsuya? We all know that Tsunade was Tetsuya's sensei." Kushina said with a shocked look on her face.

"After Tsunade greeted me, I had proceeded to tell her everything that happened to Tetsuya since he came to the Pure Land. Tsunade was amazed to her everything I told her and she wants to visit the area three days from now. However, Dan as you know is Tsunade's lover when they were alive is going to accompany Tsunade on the trip. Basically, it's a surprise for Tetsuya." Hiruzen responded back with clarity.

That was when Minato and Kushina realized the plan is to pick up Tsunade and Dan from the train station three days from the phone call or in other terms the day following the gender reveal. Both Minato and Kushina promised Hiruzen to keep the secret from Tetsuya until the reunion of him and his sensei. Even though Kushina almost blabbed the secret out while they were at the bakery for the gender reveal but she kept her mouth quiet about it after Minato reminded her not to.

Then the day came not only for Tetsuya and Yuki's outing with her parents; but it was the day that Tsunade and Dan were to arrive in the area. Minato and Kushina had got up early to head for the train station since the train containing Tsunade and Dan was set to show up around midday. On the way to the train station, Kushina was wondering if Tetsuya and Yuki were having a good time on the outing. Minato assured Kushina that everything was going to be alright with Tetsuya and Yuki. Not even after a few minutes they got to the train station, Minato and Kushina saw that the train had shown up a half hour early. Taking a few steps near the waiting benches, Kushina noticed a woman with long blond hair and a purple diamond shaped marking on her forehead sitting alongside a tall man with sky blue hair a few feet away from Kushina. After noticing who it was, Kushina signaled Minato to come by her location immediately.

"So, you guys made it. I'm surprised the train showed up a half hour earlier than it is supposed to, you know." Kushina stated upon greeting Tsunade and Dan.

"It sure has been a long time since I last you and Minato. So, have you guys come up with a plan to surprise Tetsuya with me and Dan's arrival. Sarutobi-sensei told me that you guys were going to have a plan." Tsunade stated her greeting towards Minato and Kushina.

"In a way yes, Lady Tsunade. But me and Kushina would like give you and Dan a quick tour of the area. You see we can't surprise Tetsuya immediately because he is at an outing with his wife and in-laws. Besides that, will give us time on how to carry out the plan." Minato stated to Tsunade before they were leaving the train station.

"That will be fine with us. Besides me and Tsunade are not in a big hurry since we are visiting the area for a while or at least until Tetsuya's baby arrives." Dan said with a calm look on his face.

This had surprised Minato and Kushina about the length of Tsunade and Dan's stay in the area. In some ways, Kushina thought that makes perfect sense since the only other people who fully understood Tetsuya and his dreams were Tsunade and Dan. With that Minato and Kushina gave Tsunade and Dan a quick tour of the area before stopping at the gateway to Minato and Kushina's house.

"There is one place that we have yet to show you guys and it's about four blocks south of here. Also, this place we are going to is the same place where Tetsuya works and his in-laws live in the building." Minato stated towards Tsunade and Dan.

Immediately, Minato and Kushina walked to the bakery with Tsunade and Dan not far behind them. Once the bakery was in sight, Kushina noticed that the Sakagamis and the Fujibayashi sisters were in the bakery conversing with one another. That is when Kushina signaled Minato, Tsunade and Dan to come inside the bakery.

"Oh, hello Minato and Kushina. If you are looking for Tetsuya and Yuki, they left here around a half hour ago to put their things from the outing away at their apartment. However, they did mention something about them eating at the noodle shop for dinner a little later." Shiznae said to Minato and Kushina with a smile on her face.

"Ah I see. Oh by the way there are a couple of people I want you guys to meet. The person standing behind me is Dan and the other person standing behind Kushina is Tsunade. Dan was Tetsuya's senpai when we were alive; Tsunade is Tetsuya's mentor. We were going to ask where Tetsuya was being because he does not know that Tsunade and Dan are here to surprise him?" Minato stated with a hesitant look on his face.

The Sakagamis and Fujibayashi sisters then proceeded to introduce themselves to Tsunade and Dan. After learning about Tsunade's profession when she was alive, the Sakagamis, Kyou and Ryou were surprised that Tetsuya never mentioned this to anyone. Kushina thought the reason for this is like the time when Yuki found out that Tetsuya was an uncle.

"How come Tetsuya did not want to be in the medical profession like you, Tsunade was it?" Kyou asked out of curiosity.

"Tetsuya wanted to protect the people he deeply cared about the most mainly Kushina and Minato. However, he wanted to learn the background behind the medical profession. You see he in some ways wanted to be like myself in how to achieve peace. However, his views on the feelings of being loved is very strong which he learned that from me. Wouldn't you agree with that, Dan?" Tsunade stated the honest answer to Kyou's question and started to look at Dan.

Dan nodded his head in agreeing to Tsunade's statement. This had everyone around them have surprised looks on their faces since it gave them a broader insight into a part of Tetsuya's real personality and his past. Then Kushina had found the perfect way to execute their plan on surprising Tetsuya with Tsunade and Dan's arrival.

"Wait a minute, that's it. Even though we have done this countless time in having people meeting Yuki, I was thinking that we should have dinner at the noodle shop tonight you know." Kushina stated out the first thing that came into her mind.

"Why did not I think of that before when Shiznae mentioned it to us earlier. Speaking of that, did Tetsuya mention what time him and Yuki were heading out to the noodle shop?" Minato said after hearing Kushina's statement.

"I think he said that they were heading over there in about an hour and a half actually from right at this moment." Shia responded to Minato's question.

With that in mind it gave Minato and Kushina some time to have Tsunade and Dan unpack their things at Minato and Kushina's house. This happened right after leaving the bakery in a little bit of a hurry since the distance from the noodle shop to Minato and Kushina's house was farther than expected. After Tsunade and Dan finished getting their things settled in at Minato and Kushina's house is when the four of them left for the noodle shop. Luckily there was not a long wait at the noodle shop so the planned surprise was still intact. Kushina requested the receptionist to have her, Minato, Tsunade and Dan sit at the farthest table in the shop hidden behind the restrooms. The receptionist accepted the request knowing that it is Yuki's sister-in-law making the request.

"You know what is so different about this than last time, Minato?" Kushina asked Minato who was getting ready to sit down.

"Yes I do. Yuki is not working this time unlike all of the other times where either us or Tetsuya embarrassed her while she was working." Minato responded with a honest answer.

Minato then explained to Tsunade and Dan about the other instances when he and Kushina had been in the noodle shop when Yuki was on shift. For Tsunade and Dan it made sense about Minato's explanation; however, this had Tsunade go into a deep thought.

"So, based on what Sarutobi-sensei told me and what you said just now, Minato. It sounds like Yuki is in some ways like Tetsuya." Tsunade said with a smirk grin on her face.

Before they can tell the waiter their orders Minato, Kushina, Tsunade, and Dan notice that Tetsuya and Yuki were just entering the noodle shop. However, for Minato and Kushina they needed to come up with a way to reveal their surprise to Tetsuya.

"Hmm…something seems very suspicious about the noodle shop." Tetsuya stated once he and Yuki entered the noodle shop.

"Tetsuya, I have worked here for the past couple of years and trust me there is nothing suspicious about this place. Let's get us a table. *sighs*" Yuki said with a sigh underneath her breath not wanting to cause stress on herself, Tetsuya, and the growing fetus inside her stomach.

Based on observing the situation, Kushina was starting to get in a panicked mood and wanted Minato to hurry up with a plan. Tsunade and Dan calmed Kushina down for a few seconds until Minato thought of the perfect solution for the surprise.

"Alright, here is how we are going to initiate the surprise. Tsunade and Dan, you guys will stay here at the table while Kushina preoccupies Tetsuya. I will sit on the empty booth a few feet from us until he notices me. Then I am going to put a blindfold on him once I get to his table and place him on a chair right next to this table." Minato stated out the plan to Kushina, Tsunade, and Dan.

"When are you going to bring this chair you were mentioning about, Minato?" Kushina asked out of curiosity.

Minato then proceeded to explain that he was bringing out the chair when Kushina starts carrying out her part of the plan. Dan thought the plan was very reasonable unlike Tsunade who had very few doubts about the plan. Reluctantly, Tsunade put those doubts aside since after all it was going to be the first time in five or six years that she last saw her former student, Tetsuya. Once they got done giving the waiter their orders is when Kushina's part of the plan began.

"I had great time having an outing with you and your parents. We got mostly everything we need to set up the baby's room. But it might take a few weeks before the room can get finished." Tetsuya stated at Yuki who had noticed Kushina's presence.

"That is very sweet of you to say that. I think your sister is here in the noodle shop." Yuki said trying to have Tetsuya pay attention to Kushina's presence.

Tetsuya thought Yuki was crazy at first until Kushina showed up at their table and he apologized to Yuki for his thought. This had Tetsuya and Yuki baffled into why was Kushina at the noodle shop during the same time they were. Kushina then started to ask Yuki how her and Tetsuya's day was; also, she proceeded to ask how the growing fetus was doing. Halfway through that conversation is when Kushina raised Tetsuya's hand to indicate for Minato to come their direction.

"Hello, Tetsuya. I am really sorry that I have to do this to you." Minato stated right before he put the blindfold on Tetsuya and escorted him to the table where Tsunade and Dan were sitting.

"Kushina, what's Minato doing to Tetsuya? I'm starting to get scared." Yuki stated with a concerned look on her face.

In that very moment, Kushina had told Yuki what was going on to make her feel better and avoid getting scolded by Tetsuya for making his wife sad. After hearing what Kushina told her, Yuki felt very happy that not only she gets to meet Tetsuya's mentor and senpai but the feeling of nervousness is on Tetsuya this time. Before Kushina got up from the table, Yuki asked her if she can sit over there by them. This was after Yuki gave a waiter her and Tetsuya's order; she notified the same waiter to have them bring the order to Minato, Kushina, Tsunade, and Dan's table.

"Why am I in a blindfold, Minato? You better have a good explanation for this or else I am going have Kushina pull a prank on you." Tetsuya stated once Minato got him to the designated chair.

"My explanation is very simple. Just answer the question I am going to ask you and that will give you my explanation. From everything you have done since arriving here, which two people who were also an integral part of your life before Naruto was born that is not myself or the Sarutobis can be very proud of your actions, Tetsuya?" Minato responded to Tetsuya's question with a honest look.

Tsunade realized that Minato picked the right question to ask to pull off the surprise since that question is the truth behind her and Dan's affiliation with Tetsuya. Realizing that Minato was going to reveal the surprise, Kushina had Yuki step back a few inches until it was over. Then Tetsuya gave it some serious thought to Minato's question.

"The only two people that I can think of based on your question would have to be Tsunade-sensei and Dan-senpai. I only wish that they were to see all the accomplishments I made in the past five years being in the Pure Land." Tetsuya answered honestly and behind the blindfold had a frown look on his face.

Before taking off the blindfold, Minato had whispered into Tsunade's ear indicating that she was going to be the one to reveal the surprise. Dan realized that what Minato was quietly saying to Tsunade made sense since after all she was Tetsuya's mentor and he had viewed him as one that would always watch Tsunade on his behalf after his arrival in the Pure Land several years prior. Tsunade felt confident enough to go through with her part of the plan while Dan looked on with a smile on his face.

"From the first day I met you and became my pupil, I knew there was something special about your passion for achieving peace and views on loving others so far to even protecting them from futile situations. I am very proud of the person you have become and same thing applies to the other person you mentioned in the answer." Tsunade stated with pure conviction and honesty in every single word.

"She is right, every single of word it is true." Dan said in agreeance to Tsunade's statement.

"Wait a minute, I know those voices. Oh, my god that can't be possible. There's no way that it can be who I am thinking it is." Tetsuya said in a shocking voice.

Once Minato gradually took of the blindfold, that is when Kushina and Yuki reached the table with smile on their faces. Yuki quietly introduced herself to Tsunade and Dan with the fact that is quite an honor to meet them both while proceeding to take her chair and placing it right next to Tetsuya. Kushina had pulled out her cell phone out of her purse and began recording the surprise reveal so she can send it to Inoichi for him to show it to the Sarutobis. After the blindfold was taken off, Tetsuya looked at Tsunade and Dan which he was speechless with a tear starting to drip on his eye.

"*sniffles*Dan-senpai and Tsunade Se... Sen…Sensei. Is it you guys or am I dreaming?" Tetsuya asked with a surprised look and tear slowly dripping down his face.

"Yes, it is us, Tetsuya. Hiruzen told us everything and we could not be any prouder of you. So, surprise." Tsunade and Dan said in unison.

Once he realized that it was his mentor and senpai sitting right there next to him; Tetsuya started to weep tears of joy and proceeded to hug his sensei while shaking Dan's hand at the same time. Looking on, Yuki felt very happy to see her husband happy about reuniting with his sensei and senpai. That was when Kushina stopped recording the reveal and did send it to Inoichi; Kushina got a reply a few minutes before the orders were to come out that he showed it to the Sarutobis and stated that they were very happy to see the reunion of Tetsuya and Tsunade.

After wiping off the tears on his face, Tetsuya noticed that Yuki was sitting in the nearest empty chair to the entire time. That is when Minato and Kushina told Tetsuya about the entire situation behind the surprise including their involvement in it. Tetsuya was surprised to hear the entire story behind the surprise.

"Don't worry about introducing me to your sensei and senpai, Tetsuya. We did that while you were trying to figure out the surprise. Oh, our orders are here and I will try to finish my bowl this time unlike the last time." Yuki stated with a smile on her face.

"That's good to hear, sweetheart. Are you sure on eating the entire bowl because I don't want to see you getting sick like the gynecologist told me that if you get sick it can harm the baby…" Tetsuya starting to get severely concerned.

"Little brother, really. You're saying this in front of somebody who had a bad habit of eating ramen while they were in Yuki's current state, you know. I know you're looking out for the safety of your family." Kushina said putting her two-cents into the conversation.

Minato and Tsunade looking on remembering the times where Kushina had gotten involved in parts of Tetsuya's life when it concerned him the most. Dan was a little wondrous in what Minato and Tsunade were thinking while eating their dinner. Everyone had gotten done eating dinner except Yuki who had at least a quarter of ramen left in her bowl. Tetsuya felt concerned as Yuki started to feel a little bit strange once she finished her dinner.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Tetsuya asked out of concern.

"Yes, I am alright. It's just that for some reason the bottom of the ramen bowl tasted a little funky. Don't worry, I am going to be ok." Yuki responded by placing her hand on Tetsuya's face.

After that everyone left the noodle shop and proceeded to head back their separate ways. Not before, Tetsuya stopped Tsunade so he can have a private chat with her and told Yuki to wait for him. While Dan, Minato, and Kushina headed back to Minato's house realizing that Tsunade knew her way back to the house.

"Sensei, I was wondering. How long are you and Dan-senpai going to be around here for?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity.

"At least until your baby is born, Tetsuya. Me and Dan are staying by Kushina's house until then. Your wife is very pretty and she is like you in many ways. If you and Yuki ever need any help, you can always contact me. Like I was trying to say earlier, you are one of the best pupils I have had the honor of teaching. Before I head off, I was wondering what is the gender of your baby?" Tsunade responded with a smile on her face before heading to Kushina's house.

"Thank you for those words, Tsunade-sensei. To answer your question, it's going to be a girl. I will see you guys later." Tetsuya said before heading off to meet up with Yuki.

Tetsuya and Yuki had a nice walk back to the apartment which their day was filled with fun also one of several long-awaited reunions into the mix. After entering and locking up the apartment, Tetsuya felt exhausted and let Yuki take her shower first while he was organizing things to begin preparing the baby's room which he has time for that. Yuki got out of the shower and she wanted to talk to Tetsuya in the living room before he went to take his shower.

"So, what did you and your sensei have to talk about earlier?" Yuki asked with a curious look on her face.

"Well she told me that her and my senpai were staying in the area until the baby is born. They are staying by my sister and brother-in-law's house for the time being. I was surprised to hear that but realized how happy that made me because my sensei stated if we ever need any help that she will be there. *yawns*I wish I could talk more but once I get out of the shower it's off to bed I go." Tetsuya responded back to Yuki's question.

"That's okay, sweetheart. I am heading off to bed as well. Good night, I love you." Yuki said with a kiss to Tetsuya's forehead before heading to the bedroom.

Once Tetsuya took a soothing shower, he entered the bedroom and started to close his eyes before looking at the growing fetus starting to develop in Yuki's belly. With Tsunade around, it was the beginning of a crucial time for the duration of Yuki's pregnancy and Tetsuya's preparation for fatherhood.


	39. Preparations for the Baby's Arrival

39

Preparations for the Baby's Arrival

Five months had passed since Tetsuya reunited with Tsunade and Dan at the noodle shop. Things were going smoothly in progression of Yuki's pregnancy where she was at the stage when the fetus was near full development and started to kick Yuki's belly in reaction to certain noises. Each time the fetus started to kick around when Tetsuya was around he would go up and placed his head-on Yuki's belly with a big smile on his face. During that time span, Yuki and Tetsuya did everything that the gynecologist told them to do in regards of taking preparation courses and set aside some time to do breathing exercises. Also, Tetsuya had finished up making the baby's room in the apartment which was situated right next to Tetsuya and Yuki's bedroom.

On a typical day, Tetsuya just got done helping Yuki with her breathing exercises when a knock came from the apartment door. However, Yuki had a hard time getting up from the sofa since she was at the stage in her pregnancy where her feet started to swell up and Tetsuya helped her get back on standing ground. Upon further examining to see who was at the door, Tetsuya put a big smile on his face and opened the door. The guests that were on the other side of the door were Kushina and Tsunade.

"Oh, hello Sis and Sensei. What brings you by here?" Tetsuya said with a calm look on his face.

"We wanted to stop by to see how you, Yuki, and the growing baby were doing. Minato and Dan did not want to come since they wanted to do a big cleaning of the house which did not require our presence, you know." Kushina responded to Tetsuya's question boldly.

Once Yuki saw who was standing at the door, she greeted both Kushina and Tsunade upon them entering the living room. Right before Tetsuya can offer a drink to Kushina and Tsunade; he noticed the fetus was kicking at Yuki's belly and went to rub the belly with a smile on his face. After he did that action, Tetsuya proceeded to pour a cup of tea for Kushina and Tsunade.

"Have you guys come up with a name for the baby?" Tsunade asked out of curiosity after taking a sip of tea.

"Well we are stuck with two possible name ideas." Yuki stated with an honest response to Tsunade's question.

Kushina was baffled on Yuki's response and proceeded to look at Tetsuya. Noticing this Tetsuya nodded his head in agreeance to Yuki's answer. Then Yuki and Tetsuya presented the name ideas since they were doubtful. The two-name ideas that they were referring to are: Manami and Yumi. However, this had Kushina recall the time when she and Minato came up with naming their child Naruto. That in turn put a sigh underneath Kushina's breath and very curious look on Tsunade's face.

"Hmm…they sound like good names. But which one sounds the most appealing to call your child by?" Tsunade asked out of curiosity.

After thinking about it for a few minutes, Tetsuya and Yuki got their idea branched down to one. Tetsuya was thrilled on the decision that he and Yuki came up with. That caused Kushina to have a big smile on her face since she was looking forward to hear what to call her niece by.

"Me and Yuki are going to name our child, Yumi. It has the most appeal and meaning behind the name." Tetsuya responded to his sensei's question without hesitation.

Kushina was very thrilled to hear that her niece is going to be named Yumi and could not wait to tell Minato when she and Tsunade got back home. However, Tsunade had a smile on her face and congratulated the expected parents for figuring out what to name their baby. Once they handed the cups of tea to Tetsuya, both Kushina and Tsunade left the apartment with smiles on their faces. Then Kushina proceeded to tell Minato and Dan about the news of Tetsuya and Yuki naming their child, Yumi. After telling Minato and Dan the news, Kushina decided to head towards the bakery to get treats for her, Tsunade, Minato, and Dan.

Once Tetsuya had cleaned up the dishes from Kushina and Tsunade's visit that he noticed Yuki was feeling tired and feel asleep on the sofa. Being the caring person that Tetsuya is he put a blanket on top of Yuki and proceeded to read a book that the gynecologist recommended him for preparation for fatherhood. Halfway through reading the book, Tetsuya started to feel very sad for no reason and decided to take a stroll to the playground on the other side of the bakery. Upon reaching the playground, Tetsuya noticed that Kushina was walking out of the bakery with pastries in her hands; however, he decided to move on towards the bench area of the playground with the sad look on his face.

It did not take long for Kushina to notice that Tetsuya was in the playground area all by himself and had caused her to feel concerned after taking a close look at his facial expression. That was when Kushina decided to walk in Tetsuya's direction and sat right next to him on the bench.

"What's wrong, little brother?" Kushina asked out of grave concern shown on her face.

Suddenly, Tetsuya noticed that Kushina was sitting right next to him on the bench and with the same facial expression he had earlier started to have a tear drop down his eye.

"*sniffles*I think I am starting to get emotional about this situation. The reason is that I get to do something that you and Minato never had the chance to do for your son due to the sacrifice you made on that day. I did not want you guys to be upset with me concerning this situation overall. *sniffles* Sis, the other reason I am emotional surrounding Yuki's pregnancy with Yumi is how would I contribute to raising my daughter. I just want her to grow up with a good head on her shoulders and not end up having the same type of childhood that we had with travesties of pain which we suffered through. *sobs*" Tetsuya stated to Kushina while crying profusely.

"Me and Minato are not upset about you becoming a father, little brother. We were very happy about it the first day you guys told us that Yuki was pregnant. I know that you want to raise your daughter in a good way. Besides there is something very special about this area where you do not have to worry about Yumi having any rough childhood like ours. Also, once Naruto does come up here I know that he will be happy to have a cousin that will look up to him. Does Yuki know about this?" Kushina said while wiping off the tears in Tetsuya's eyes.

"No, Yuki does not know about what I just said. Because I don't want her to feel upset with me and think I am just overreacting." Tetsuya responded with the tears gone and a calm look was on his face.

However, while Tetsuya was stating his response that Kushina noticed Yuki was walking to the bench where they were sitting at and became aware that Yuki had overheard most of their conversation. It was in that moment when Kushina decided to stand up from the bench and gave her seat to Yuki. That was when Tetsuya noticed that Yuki was sitting right next to him and put his head down.

"So, you heard everything I said just now?" Tetsuya stated once Yuki sat down on the bench.

"Yes. How come you didn't tell me this earlier?" Yuki asked out of concern.

"It's that I did not want to see you get upset. You know as much as I do that we want to do what's best for Yumi once she gets here. I am starting to feel like a worthless soon-to-be father." Tetsuya responded with a depressed look on his face.

This started to bother Kushina a little bit based on hearing that response coming from her little brother who just expressed his doubtful feelings to her a few minutes' prior. Right before Kushina could do anything, she noticed that Yuki had placed her hand hardly on Tetsuya's face and left it up to Yuki to handle the situation.

"You are not a worthless soon-to-be father, Tetsuya. Do not say such a thing like that ever again. Even though I am her mother. I believe that what we will do for Yumi once she arrives is out of our love for her. We should be strong for her if we are going to raise her in the way you described it to Kushina. All I want is for our daughter is to be happy and not have one of us feel like a total failure. I love you and even our baby loves you more than anything else in this world." Yuki said in the most reassuring tone that Tetsuya had ever heard come out of her mouth.

With a few tears dropping down his eyes, Tetsuya hugged Yuki and kissed her belly while soaking in the fact that everything that was addressed in Yuki's statement was true. Realizing that there was no more that she could do, Kushina proceeded to wave goodbye to Tetsuya and Yuki which she headed off for home. That was when Tetsuya and Yuki headed back for the apartment.

"You're back, Kushina." Minato greeted Kushina once she entered their house with the pastries in hand and passed them to everyone that was in the house.

"Sorry that I took longer expected, you know. Just that I had to bumped to Tetsuya on my way back here." Kushina stated with a frowned look on her face.

"Did something happen, Kushina? You seem to be a little down." Minato asked out of concern.

This is when Kushina told Minato, Tsunade, and Dan about the conversation she had with Tetsuya at the playground and how Yuki came to deal with the situation. That surprised everyone after Kushina's explanation; however, the one person who was most surprised more than anybody was Minato.

"It was a coincidence that you were there in the area at the same time as Tetsuya. I mean for him to feel real doubtful about him becoming a father that is very unusual. Look I know that Tetsuya also feels some guilt because of him doing something that we sacrificed, Kushina. Like I told him long ago about not letting his doubts consume him well it seems like he got it very badly. However, I am relieved from how Yuki handled the situation overcame those doubts for Tetsuya. To tell you the truth, I think that Tetsuya and Yuki are going to great parents to Yumi once she arrives. Wouldn't you agree, Kushina?" Minato stated his opinion on the situation.

Kushina nodded her head in agreeance to Minato's statement. This could not further surprise and help understand what Minato was saying in fruition more than Tsunade and Dan who were listening the entire time.


	40. The Birth of Yumi

40

The Birth of Yumi

A week had passed since the day that Tetsuya and Yuki revealed the name of their baby to Kushina and Tsunade. It had been an ordinary day, Tetsuya and Yuki were walking around the area outside of the apartment alongside the Fujibayashi sisters who stopped by to visit the couple. Nearing the entranceway to the apartment, Ryou notices that there is something going on with Yuki and she notified Tetsuya who was a few feet ahead standing next to Kyou.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Tetsuya asked once he made it by Yuki's side.

"*pants*I think it's time. *pants*" Yuki responded while going through dilations which were nearing the point where her water was about to break.

Realizing that it was serious this time Tetsuya had told Kyou to notify the Sakagamis, Minato, Kushina, Tsunade, and Dan for them to head to the hospital immediately. With that Kyou dashed to the bakery as fast as she could to deliver the message while Tetsuya and Ryou helped Yuki get to the hospital with the dilations getting closer in time constraints. Meanwhile, Shia was sweeping up the bakery when she noticed Kyou coming in her direction.

"Oh hello, Kyou." Shia greeted Kyou upon her arrival at the bakery.

"Tell everyone to go to the hospital at once. Yuki's water is about to break and she could be in labor at any minute now." Kyou stated with a hurried look on her face.

Luckily everyone was at the bakery sitting around for Shia to relay the message of Kyou's immediately. After stating the message, Kyou had sprinted back in the direction of the hospital to see if Ryou, Tetsuya, and Yuki made it there in one piece. Once Shia relayed the message then everyone else rushed to the hospital. Upon reaching the hospital, everyone sees Ryou in the waiting room sitting next to two familiar faces which surprised Minato, Kushina, and Tsunade.

"You guys made it on time. Tetsuya and Yuki were taken into one of the hospital rooms so they can induce Yuki around ten minutes ago. You didn't expect me and Biwako to be here did you Minato, Kushina, and Tsunade." Hiruzen stated once everyone else arrived.

"Sarutobi-sensei, how did you guys get here so fast?" Tsunade asked out of curiosity.

Before Hiruzen could answer Tsunade's question, Ryou told everyone else that Hiruzen and Biwako showed up around five minutes after she did. However, Tsunade was still wondering why her mentor knew of the situation which also pondered Minato and Kushina's minds.

"Well around two days ago, Tetsuya had called me with the awareness of that Yuki was about to have her baby at any moment. That led him into telling me and Biwako to arrive in the area as soon as possible which we have been here since yesterday. Once Yuki started to dilate and they were on the way to the hospital is when Tetsuya notified me by message to get here immediately." Hiruzen responded to Tsunade's question with a stern look on his face.

After hearing Hiruzen's response is when Minato started to wonder where Biwako was since she was not at the waiting room. Before anyone could say anything, one of the nurses showed up to see that the Sakagamis, Minato, Kushina, Tsunade, and Dan were in the waiting room.

"How is Yuki doing, nurse?" Shiznae asked the nurse once she popped her head in the door way.

"She is doing good. Her contractions are a few minutes apart and the baby should be coming out very soon. The elderly lady that Tetsuya requested to help us out is back there in the delivery room. Before I forget, Tetsuya had told me to have one more person come into the room once they got here. The name was Tsunade or something like that." The nurse was explaining the situation to everyone before heading back to the delivery room.

Tsunade had a smile on her face and proceeded to the direction of the delivery room following the nurse there. This baffled everyone at first except for Hiruzen who knew the real reason into why Tetsuya wanted his mentor and Biwako to be there in assisting the delivery of Tetsuya and Yuki's child. However, it did not take long for Minato to realize the reason that Hiruzen was thinking of is the same assumption he had thought of.

"Minato, what is it?" Kushina asked out of curiosity.

"I just figured out the reason why Tetsuya wanted Lady Biwako and Tsunade to come help out in the delivery. This was something I think that Tetsuya had only told me and Lord Third once which he wanted to keep secret until this very moment. You see there were times where Tetsuya had helped out in delivering babies of other people he knew with either Biwako or Tsunade as his supervisors." Minato responded to Kushina's question honestly.

That was something which surprised not only Kushina but the Fujibayashi sisters and Yuki's family as well. It dwelt into the key part of what Tetsuya strongly wanted to learn in the medical aspect of things while in Tsunade's tutelage. So, in other terms, Hiruzen and Minato knew this day would come all along just did not know when it was going to occur. After hearing, all of this, it had everyone wondering what was going on in the delivery room.

Tetsuya, who was holding Yuki's hand while she was in labor instantly felt the tight grip on his hand and coaching her through the delivery. On the other hand, Biwako and Tsunade were surrounding the nurses to help Tetsuya coach Yuki through the delivery. As the contractions were getting closer, Tsunade noticed the head starting to pop out while Biwako was standing on the other side of Yuki to see how Tetsuya was doing.

"You're doing great, Yuki. Keep pushing and control your breathing. I see the head starting to appear, just a bit further." Tsunade notifying the labor-induced Yuki of the situation.

"Just keep breathing, sweetheart. *pant* *pant*" Tetsuya said to Yuki encouraging her to keep pushing after hearing what his mentor just said.

Then a few minutes later, Biwako walked in the direction of Tsunade and they both saw that most of the baby's body was out expect for the feet. Right before Tetsuya could say anything, he noticed that Yuki stopped having contractions and looked straight at Biwako and Tsunade with a smile on his face. It was in that moment when little Yumi Uzumaki came into the Pure Land world. Once Tsunade pulled out Yumi after cutting the umbilical cord, she showed Tetsuya and Yuki their newborn child. Tetsuya and Yuki were awestruck to see what they brought into the Pure Land world which they kissed each other.

"Congratulations, you guys. Tetsuya, will you give Yumi her first bath." The doctor stated to both Tetsuya and Yuki.

While Tetsuya was giving Yumi her first bath, Tsunade was very grateful that she got to help deliver the child of one of her well trusted pupils. Biwako had nudged Tsunade to give Tetsuya and Yuki congratulatory messages. Not before long, Tetsuya got done giving Yumi the first bath and told Yuki that it would be a couple of minutes before they can start holding their daughter.

"Thank you, Lady Biwako and Tsunade-sensei for helping out. You guys can either stay here or head into the waiting room to tell everyone the wonderful news." Tetsuya stated towards Biwako and Tsunade after hearing the congratulatory messages.

Biwako opted to go into the waiting room to tell everyone that was over there the good news, while Tsunade stayed in the room looking on at the first-time parents feeling joy about seeing their child. Once that transpired, the other nurse who finished giving tests on Yumi proceeded to wrap her in a blanket and handed her to Yuki.

"Isn't she the most beautiful thing you have ever seen, sweetheart?" Yuki said to Tetsuya while holding Yumi in her arms with a big smile on her face.

"*sniffles*yes she sure is. I am very happy that we are her parents and this is got to be the greatest day in our time here in the Pure Land." Tetsuya responded while looking at both Yuki and Yumi with a tear of joy dropped down on his face.

"Hmm…it looks like Yumi has your red hair, Tetsuya and has Yuki's nice round face. I think Biwako went to tell everyone else the good news. Do you guys want me to tell one of the nurses that you're ready for visitors or wait a few more minutes?" Tsunade stated to both Tetsuya and Yuki.

Meanwhile, Biwako made it to the waiting room with everyone anticipating to hear news. Based upon looking at Biwako's facial expression, Hiruzen knew right away that everything went alright.

"Well, the baby came out perfectly fine. There were no problems with the labor and very shortly you guys can see little Yumi." Biwako addressed the news to everyone that was in the waiting room.

Kushina and Shiznae had very joyous looks on their faces to the point where a tear started to drop down their eyes; while everyone else was happy to hear the news, and could not wait to see the newborn Yumi. Minato who was looking at Kushina could not be happier to see his wife's facial expression and whispered into her ear that they are very proud of Tetsuya and Yuki becoming parents.

Back at the delivery room, after holding Yumi for a while Yuki handed her to Tetsuya who was sitting in the chair right next to the bed Yuki was laying on. Yuki looked on with a joyous smile on her face as Tetsuya was holding Yumi in his arms and felt very proud to be a mother. Then Yuki was getting ready to hear something from Tetsuya that her and Yumi will never forget.

"Hi there, sweetie. It's me your daddy and you are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I want you to remember that me and your mommy will always love you with all our hearts. You are our bundle of joy." Tetsuya stating this to Yumi who feel asleep on her daddy's arms.

"Look at that our little Yumi is sleeping in your arms, my love. Everything I heard you say just now I can agree with every single word of it." Yuki said while looking on at the sight she witnessed.

This was when Tsunade signaled the nurse to tell everyone in the waiting room that Tetsuya and Yuki are ready for visitors. For both Tetsuya and Yuki knew that it was the perfect opportunity for Tsunade to give the signal. Not before long, the nurse had made it to the waiting room.

"Tetsuya and Yuki are ready for visitors to come in." The nurse addressed to everyone in the waiting room.

There was a small discussion between everyone in the waiting room on who wanted to see Yumi first. It was decided that the Sarutobis and Dan were the first ones to see the newborn Yumi since they had to leave the area in a few hours. That choice did not sadden Minato and Kushina since they knew it was the right thing to do because of the promise Tsunade made them on her and Dan's length of stay in the area. With that the nurse escorted Biwako, Hiruzen, and Dan to the delivery room. Upon seeing who was entering first, Tsunade had a smile on her face because she knew that the time had come for her and Dan to head home.

"Congratulations, Tetsuya and Yuki. Your daughter is precious and you guys should be very proud of that." Hiruzen said upon looking at Tetsuya who still had Yumi in his arms.

"The same thing goes for me as well. I hope your daughter grows up to be very strong just like her father and a caring heart like her mother." Dan stated with a grateful tone.

Tetsuya then noticed that Yumi had a loud yawn and handed her to Yuki with a smile on his face. Tsunade proceeded to take a few steps out of the delivery room with Dan and the Sarutobis before being approached by Tetsuya who knew that they were heading back home to the Pure Land Leaf Village.

"On behalf of Yuki and myself, we would like to thank you for helping us celebrate this joyous moment with us. The words you gave us will be instilled in our hearts. Have a safe journey home." Tetsuya said while sending off Tsunade, Dan, and the Sarutobis.

A few seconds later, Tetsuya notified the nurse to have their families and Fujibayashi sisters in the waiting room to come in. Yuki who held Yumi had a smile on her face because she appreciated Tetsuya giving his earlier statement. Immediately, Tetsuya sat back down on the chair next to Yuki's hospital bed and looked at both his wife and Yumi with a joyous look on his face.

"Sweetheart, look she's dreaming. I am very happy to look at the two most important women in my life: you and our sweet little Yumi." Tetsuya said to Yuki while observing Yumi was sleeping which led him to kiss both his wife and daughter.

The Fujibayashi sisters, Yosaki, Shiznae, and Shia entered the room to see the wonderful sight that was right in front of them. Tetsuya and Yuki with big smiles on their faces signaled for everyone who arrived in the room to come see Yumi. Shiznae had a joyous smile on her face since she wanted to hold her newborn granddaughter. Before anyone else could hold Yumi, both Tetsuya and Yuki told them to be careful.

"Yumi is the cutest baby I have ever seen. Do you guys mind if she can call me Aunt Shi?" Shia stated while holding her niece.

"We don't mind that at all, Shia. It had me thinking about something. Mom, Dad is there anything special that you want Yumi to call you guys by?" Yuki responded with a smile on her face.

"Well how about Saki for me and your mother to be called Shiza." Yosaki responded to Yuki's question with a calm look on his face.

That is something which both Tetsuya and Yuki gladly agreed on since they did not want Yumi calling her grandparents by their title. However, the Fujibayashi sisters congratulated the new-found parents before they headed back home since Botan was all alone by herself. Tetsuya and Yuki thanked the Fujibayashi sisters for their message. It was then that Yosaki handed Yumi to Tetsuya after the Sakagami family had turns of holding the baby. There was something odd that Yuki noticed but tried to get Tetsuya's attention which did not work. Not before long, Tetsuya started to notice the same thing that Yuki was trying to tell him about.

"Hmm…that's odd. Yumi, I don't see your Uncle Mina and Aunt Kushi in here. *sighs* Shia, were they right behind you guys when you showed up here?" Tetsuya stating the issue at hand.

Shia told Tetsuya that while halfway between the delivery room and waiting that Kushina went in a opposite direction feeling unusual while Minato followed to get her back over here. This started to worry Yuki that Tetsuya was getting gravely concerned about Minato and Kushina's whereabouts. It was in that moment a nurse showed up in the delivery room telling everyone in the room about a woman on the floor crying with a man trying to comfort her.

"Nurse, did the woman you were mentioning have really long red hair?" Tetsuya asked out of concern.

The nurse nodded her head yes in response to Tetsuya's question. Trying his best not to feel upset in front of his wife and newborn daughter, Tetsuya realized that it was Kushina which the nurse was referring to. Knowing that something was uneasy, Yuki rubbed her hand on Tetsuya's shoulder after he handed Yumi back to her.

"That's odd after we found out Yumi was born, your sister had joyous tears dripping down on her face. I don't know if she got emotional in the opposite way just like at you and Yuki's wedding ceremony." Yosaki said while noticing the situation between Tetsuya and Yuki.

Not before long, Tetsuya decided to take a step out of the delivery room to search for Minato and Kushina under the notion of fearing what Yosaki said occurred yet again. " _Don't worry, sweetie. Daddy will find your Uncle Mina and Aunt Kushi so they can meet you. It's strange, a week ago, Kushina was joyous about this and now this is happening again. I hope they did not go far._ " Tetsuya thought to himself and thinking about Yumi at the same time. Upon passing the hallway between the delivery room and a restroom is when Tetsuya saw the situation the nurse talked about earlier.

"What happened, Minato?" Tetsuya asked Minato once he arrived on the scene.

"Well we were behind your in-laws, Kushina suddenly started to get sad for reasons I can understand. I tried to reassure her the same thing you told us at your wedding and it did not work. This is the first time since that day when Kushina got randomly emotional about a joyous occasion." Minato stating the situation to Tetsuya.

Tetsuya needed to come up with something in raising Kushina's hopes up so that she can meet Yumi alongside Minato of course. Suddenly, Kushina lifted her tear-filled face to see Tetsuya standing there. Before saying anything, Tetsuya signaled Minato to head in the direction of the delivery room so he can have a private talk with Kushina.

"I don't know why little brother but my emotions got to the best of me again, you know. *sniffles*I tried to think of happy thoughts and the words you told me on your wedding day. Minato tried to help me out but I was too emotional to snap out of it." Kushina said while trying to wipe the tears off her face.

"Sis, I understand it's been hard for you to control your emotions. Try your best to feel happy again. Besides, I know a little newborn girl who wants to meet her talkative and energetic aunt, you know. I'll meet you and Minato in the delivery room." Tetsuya stated in a very reassuring voice to Kushina.

Tetsuya proceeded to head back to the delivery room, while Kushina found the will to be happy again and catches up to where Minato was standing. Upon entering the delivery room, Tetsuya notices that only Shia was left out of the visitors in the room. That is when Yuki holding a cooing Yumi in her arms explained to Tetsuya that Yosaki and Shiznae headed back to the bakery which Shia wanted to stay a little while longer.

"Sweetheart, do you mind if I hold Yumi for a little while?" Tetsuya asked with a calm look on his face.

"Of course, my love. It seems that Yumi has a strong attachment to her daddy like she is to me. She had been cooing on and off since you left the room." Yuki answered with a smile on her face while she handed Yumi to Tetsuya.

Once she was in Tetsuya's lap, Yumi started to yawn and fall asleep while Tetsuya looked on rocking her gently in the chair. It was a couple of minutes later, the nurse notified Tetsuya and Yuki that two visitors wanted to come into the room. Then both Tetsuya and Yuki nodded their yes to let the visitors come in. The two visitors were Minato and Kushina which led Yuki having a smile on her face after looking at Tetsuya rocking Yumi to sleep. This did not take long for Tetsuya to notice who entered the room and proceeded to stand up with Yumi still in his arms.

"Aww…she fell asleep on your arms again, dear. It looks like we got company." Yuki stated with a joyous look on her face at her husband and daughter.

Tetsuya had the biggest smile on his face when Yuki said that while staring at Minato and Kushina. Feeling a little nervous, Kushina decided to walk up to Tetsuya first and Minato a few steps behind followed her. Before he could say anything, Tetsuya noticed that Yumi started to coo a little when Minato and Kushina stood around the chair next to Yuki's hospital bed.

"Sweetie, I want you to meet your uncle Mina and your aunt Kushi." Tetsuya said once he stopped rocking Yumi.

Upon looking at Yumi, Kushina started to feel joy and Minato had a smile on his face on seeing their newborn niece.

"It's hard to believe that I am an aunt. Yumi is very precious and beautiful. Well she does have red hair just like me and you, little brother. I hope she becomes very strong to stand in anyone's way if they make fun of her hair like me, you know. Congratulations on you and Yuki becoming parents." Kushina said with big smile on her face after looking at Yumi.

Yuki was scared a little on the middle part of Kushina's statement but the rest of it was very appreciated by both Yuki and Tetsuya. Minato had to take a little more time before coming up with his message. Shia who was still in the room proceeded to leave for the bakery not before saying goodbye to Yuki, Tetsuya, and Yumi.

"Yuki, it's going to be alright. I highly doubt that anyone will make fun of our daughter's hair. Thank you for the kind words, Sis." Tetsuya addressing this statement to Yuki and Kushina.

"Congratulations Tetsuya and Yuki. Yumi is a very pretty baby and seems to almost look like Tetsuya except for the round face. At least we have something very special to look forward to in seeing Yumi's growth. That would have to be the day when she meets her cousin, Naruto for the first time. Wouldn't you agree, Tetsuya?" Minato stated with a smile on his face.

"Yes, I strongly agree with that. Other than what you pointed out Minato, there are a couple of special things which are benefiting that. First being that Naruto gets to meet his aunt Yuki for the first time as well. Then the second part would be more so special to you and Kushina which would a day that I have been waiting a very long time for. Not only for you and Kushina to be reunited with your son, but it will make _our_ families whole again. Thank you for the congratulations on me and Yuki's behalf." Tetsuya responded with strong honesty in his face while looking at everyone in the room.

Yuki was very thrilled to hear Tetsuya's response and had her have something to look forward to other than her and Tetsuya raising Yumi. After the statements were addressed, Minato and Kushina left the hospital with high hopes for the future other than being aunt and uncle to Yumi. This was the major milestone which Tetsuya and Yuki wanted to have for so long in order for them to live in eternal peace.


	41. Seven Years Later: Anticipated Reunion

41

Seven Years Later: The Anticipated Reunion

Seven years had passed since the day Yumi Uzumaki was born in the Pure Land as the daughter of Tetsuya and Yuki Uzumaki. Life for the family during that time span was filled with pure joy and excitement. Yumi started her second year at the local elementary school where her homeroom teacher was none other than family friend, Kyou Fujibayashi. Also, Yumi had joined in a soccer league that composed of friends she made at school and coached by her homeroom teacher. Yuki on the other hand was now the head cook of the noodle shop that she worked at for many years. Now for Tetsuya well he took over his in-laws' bakery business as co-manager alongside his father-in-law. As for the rest of their family, they led the same lives prior to Yumi's birth.

However, on an ordinary day at the Uzumaki household while Tetsuya was helping Yumi prepare for a soccer game the phone rings. Yuki, who had been cooking up dinner picked up the phone and talking on it for a minute before she told Tetsuya to get the phone. This had Tetsuya extremely curious into why a phone call was for him and he brought the phone outside while keeping his eye on Yumi making sure she did not break anything during her soccer practice.

"Oh hello, Professor. It has been a while. So, what is going on?" Tetsuya stated while talking to Hiruzen on the phone.

"Well me and Biwako were admiring the pictures of Yumi's soccer and class that we just got in the mail yesterday. Anyways, there is something very important that I need to tell you which is the real reason why for this phone call." Hiruzen stated with a calm tone.

"I'm glad that you guys got the photos. So, what is it that you wanted to tell me, Professor?" Tetsuya asking out curiosity.

"Earlier today, I was summoned to the entrance of the Pure Land because someone informed me that a very special person arrived in the afterlife. The person I am referring to is sitting right next to me and _he_ wants to talk to you. So, I am handing the phone to him right now and I will tell everyone that your family is doing well. Goodbye, Tetsuya." Hiruzen stated while he handed the phone to the tall short blonde hair male sitting right next to him.

Before the phone call continued, Yuki addressed for Yumi and Tetsuya to come inside since dinner was about done. Tetsuya had told Yumi to tell her mother that he will be inside momentarily. Yumi who had a puzzled look on her face and did what her father told her to do. In that moment, Tetsuya proceeded to put the phone back into his ear and waited for the person Hiruzen was referring to say something.

"Hello, Uncle Tetsuya." The short blonde hair male said once he got the phone from Hiruzen.

Based on hearing that voice, Tetsuya was shocked to hear it and a tear dropped down his eye. That is because Tetsuya realized who it was and for a few seconds got too nervous to answer back. It was something that Tetsuya had waited a very long time to hear the voice on the other end of the phone call.

"*sniffles*Is it really you, Naruto?" Tetsuya asked out of plain curiosity.

"Yes, it is me. Gramps here told me about the area you, Mom, and Dad live in." Naruto responded to Tetsuya's question through the phone.

"Ah, I see. So, buddy how did you live out your life after I came up here to the afterlife? If you don't mind me asking." Tetsuya said with a gleeful tone.

That was when Naruto told his uncle over the phone about him getting married to Hinata, had a couple of kids still in the world of the living, and more importantly that he fulfilled the dream which he told Tetsuya long ago. Tetsuya then proceeded to tell Naruto how very proud he is of his nephew's accomplishments.

"Gramps also told me that I have an aunt and cousin through you. I forgot to tell you that Hinata came up here with me as well. We cannot wait to meet your family, Uncle Tetsuya. Can you keep this a secret from mom and dad because I want to surprise them?" Naruto stated with a stern voice.

"Sorry I have to end this call but your aunt made me dinner and I don't want her to get too worried along with your cousin. Don't worry I will keep this a secret from your mother and father. Before I forget are you and Hinata coming down here in the area for a visit; if so, when?" Tetsuya said before realizing that he had not gone inside to eat dinner with his family.

"Yes, we are planning on coming down there tomorrow before midday. Well I will let you go and see you then, Uncle Tetsuya." Naruto said before ending the phone call.

With that Tetsuya ended the phone called proceeded to have tears of joy coming down his face. Before he got up from the chair, Tetsuya was approached by Yumi who had a worried look on her face.

"Daddy, are you coming inside to eat dinner with us? Me and Mommy were starting to worry about you." Yumi said with the worried look still on her face.

"Yes, I am coming inside now. Sorry sweetie if I caused you any worries. It's that Daddy is a bit teary eyed right now." Tetsuya stated while walking inside to the dining room and rubbing Yumi's head at the same time.

Upon sitting down at the dining room table, Yumi stated the blessing before her, Tetsuya, and Yuki ate their dinner. Yuki had a worried look on her face as she looked at Tetsuya who had dry remains of tears on his face. Before taking a bite of his dinner, Tetsuya wiped the tears off his face with a nearby napkin.

"Sorry if I caused you any worries, dear. The phone call lasted longer than expected. Yuki, what time does Yumi's soccer game start tomorrow by any chance? Sorry that I forgot." Tetsuya stated to both his wife and daughter after taking a bite of his dinner.

"It starts about an hour past midday. Why did you need to know that, honey?" Yuki asked out of curiosity.

"Yumi, my little sweetheart can you try to keep from what daddy is about to say a secret from your Uncle Minato and Aunt Kushina." Tetsuya said to Yumi who had just about finished her plate.

Yumi nodded her head yes and proceeded to put her dinner dishes in the sink before sitting back down in the chair next to Yuki. Tetsuya was trying to find the best way to explain to Yuki and Yumi about the phone conversation he had especially the part of talking to Naruto. After finishing his dinner plate is when Tetsuya found the right way in answering Yuki's question.

"*sighs*the reason why I asked what the time Yumi's game was is that I have to get up early in the morning to head to the train station to pick up a couple of people. I will try my best to make it in time for your game, sweetie. This is related to the phone conversation I had earlier." Tetsuya said with a distraughtly look on his face.

"Honey, why are you feeling distraught?" Yuki stated with a concern look on her face.

"Yumi, I got some good news for you and mommy. How would you feel if you got to meet your cousin for the first time?" Tetsuya stated the question to Yumi.

"I would feel very happy, Daddy. Is this an answer to Mommy's question?" Yumi responded with a smile on her face.

That is when Tetsuya explained to Yuki and Yumi about the premise of the phone calling mainly about Naruto's arrival into the Pure Land. Yuki had a joyous look on her face as she is looking forward to meeting her nephew for the first time. However, Tetsuya needed to come up with a plan to keep Naruto's arrival a surprise and secret from Minato and Kushina. While formulating a plan, Tetsuya had told Yumi to take a bath and get ready for bed. In turn, Yuki decided to tell Yumi a random bedtime story and went to sit on the sofa where Tetsuya was sitting.

"I've come up with an idea on how keep Naruto's surprise arrival secret from Minato and Kushina. But I want to know if it sounds reasonable, sweetheart." Tetsuya said while placing his hand on Yuki's shoulder and looked at her in the face.

"Ok, honey. I am listening. So, what is the idea?" Yuki said in anticipation with the idea.

"I know that Minato and Kushina are going to be at the game tomorrow. While they are away from their house, I am planning on having Naruto and Hinata get their things settled in at Minato and Kushina's house. Once I send you a message that I am on my way to the game, tell Shia to have Minato and Kushina go to the farthest concession stand and preoccupy them. Then me and Naruto will initiate the surprise once we show up to the soccer field with Hinata standing next to us." Tetsuya stated his idea to Yuki.

"I like the idea a lot, dear. I know this is something that we more so you have been waiting a long time to happen. To tell you the truth, I am starting to feel nervous about meeting Naruto actually just like the time I first met Kushina and Minato." Yuki said with a smile on her face.

Tetsuya had a smile on his face when he heard Yuki's statement and headed off to bed since he wanted to be fully ready for the next day's events. A few minutes later, Yuki followed Tetsuya into the bedroom seeing how happy her husband was even when he was asleep.

The next day is when Tetsuya got up early and placed everything Yumi needed for her game before he left for the train station. Not even taking a step out of the apartment, Tetsuya saw both Yuki and Yumi waved from out the side and in response gave them a blowing kiss. " _Well today is the big day. Naruto coming here in the area, Yumi's big soccer game, and more importantly the day when the Uzumaki family becomes whole again. I am overwhelmed in pure happiness._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while he was on route to the train station.

Meanwhile, Naruto and Hinata who were on the train felt amazed once they saw the signs nearing their destination. Hinata had a smile on her face seeing that Naruto had a calm look on his face knowing what is about to happen. After the train made a screeching stop, Naruto and Hinata got off the train in search for Tetsuya. Upon nearing the exit to the train station is when Naruto saw the familiar face he was looking for and signaled for Hinata to come with him while carrying their suitcases.

"Naruto and Hinata, I am happy that you guys made it safely. Wow I am amazed on how much you guys have grown since the last time I saw you." Tetsuya greeted Naruto and Hinata with a smile on his face.

"It is good to see you again, Uncle Tetsuya. How come was it only you that showed up here?" Naruto asked after giving Tetsuya a hug.


	42. Epilogue

42

Epilogue

Tetsuya with a sigh underneath his breath told Naruto and Hinata about the plan he discussed with Yuki the night prior. Also, Tetsuya did mention the fact about Yumi's game being an hour from the moment he picked up Naruto and Hinata from the train station. So, this meant that Naruto and Hinata had to rush putting their things in the guest room at Minato and Kushina's house. Since they got done with that part of the plan so fast, Tetsuya suggested to Naruto and Hinata that they would take a scenic route to the soccer field. Before leaving Minato and Kushina's house, Tetsuya sent Yuki the message that him, Naruto, and Hinata were on their way to the game.

"I think your mother is going to be filled with joy when she meets Hinata for the first time and finds out Hinata's your wife. Speaking of that Hinata are you nervous about meeting your mother-in-law for the first time? I know you met Naruto's father once before so that you don't have to worry about." Tetsuya said to both Naruto and Hinata while on route to the soccer field.

"I am a little nervous about it. Umm…... I hope she likes me." Hinata responded to Tetsuya's question with a nervous feeling on her face.

It was only three blocks after having that conversation is when Tetsuya notices the soccer field was in sight and noticing that Yuki initiated her part of plan perfectly. Naruto assured to Hinata to be calm which put a smile on Tetsuya's face when he looked at the scene right behind him.

Upon arriving at the bench of the soccer field, Tetsuya notices that only his in-laws and Ryou were there. This had Tetsuya wondering where Yuki had run off to and saw that the game was about to start. A few seconds later, Tetsuya notices that Yuki was coming in his direction and greeted him.

"Naruto and Hinata, this is your Aunt Yuki. The people sitting on the bench waving at us is my mother-in-law Shiznae, my father-in-law Yosaki, and one of my dearest friends Ryou Fujibayashi. Everyone this my nephew Naruto and his wife Hinata." Tetsuya stating the introductions before taking a seat on the bench next to his wife.

Partway through Yumi's game, everyone surrounding Tetsuya and Yuki starting to converse with Naruto and Hinata in getting to know them. Then Ryou pointed out to Naruto and Hinata which person on the field was Yumi and the coach being her sister also a very dear friend of Tetsuya's. Tetsuya looked at Yuki with a wondrous look on his face.

"*sighs*I hope Shia isn't mad at me for making her preoccupy Minato and Kushina." Tetsuya uttered underneath his breath to Yuki.

"Not really, dear. There is a monitor on that side of the field so she wouldn't miss any part of the game. Come on let's cheer our daughter on." Yuki said in a reassuring tone.

Everyone that was there to support Yumi and her team started to cheer them on until the end of the game. Tetsuya proceeded to look at Naruto to see if it was the right time to surprise Minato and Kushina. It did not take long for Naruto to nod his head yes and got up from the bench. Immediately Tetsuya, Yuki, and Hinata did the same thing which they proceeded to follow Naruto in the direction of the farthest concession stand.

Getting closer to the concession stand area, Tetsuya signaled Shia to come over in his direction to have Minato and Kushina still face in the direction of the bathroom door. Then Shia introduced herself to Naruto and Hinata before taking her place next to Yuki. Not even taking a step to have the final part of the surprise in motion, Tetsuya stopped Naruto and Hinata for a moment so they can meet Yumi and Kyou who were hastily approaching in their direction. After giving the introductions, Tetsuya escorted Naruto and Hinata partway through until he let them walk up to Minato and Kushina.

"Hi there, sweetie. You did great out there today. Me and Mommy are very proud of you that is something to be happy about. I want you to look at the area where your cousin, aunt, and uncle are. You are about to witness something that Daddy has waited a very long time to see." Tetsuya said to Yumi while she placed her head-on Tetsuya's side.

Naruto then proceeded to tap on Minato's shoulder once he and Hinata reached to the concession stand area. Once Minato turned around to see who tapped on his shoulder, he was clueless at first until he noticed the whisker marks on Naruto's face. That was when Minato realized who was standing right in front of him and he started to have a tear drop down his eye while starting at his son. In that moment, Naruto tapped on Kushina's shoulder to have her look at him.

"Mi... Mina…Minato, *sniffles* is that really him?" Kushina asked with tears coming down her eyes looking at Naruto.

"Yes, that is our son. *sniffles*" Minato responded to Kushina's question with tears in his eyes and still looking at Naruto.

Immediately realizing that it was indeed Naruto standing right in front of them, Minato and Kushina embraced their son. Naruto told his parents that he was very happy to see them again and proceeded to introduce his wife, Hinata to them. Meanwhile looking at the sight, Tetsuya started to wipe off the joyous tears off his eyes. Everyone surrounding was feeling grateful like Tetsuya was to see that Minato and Kushina fully reuniting with their son while meeting their daughter-in-law.

"So, Minato how does it feel to have your son here in the Pure Land?" Tetsuya asked Minato with a smile on his face.

"It feels wonderful. I know Kushina is feeling really happy that Naruto is here and started talking away to him after she stopped crying." Minato stated once he patted on Tetsuya's shoulder.

The Sakagamis, Yuki, Yumi, and the Fujibayashi sisters proceeded to leave the soccer field in direction for the bakery. Tetsuya told Naruto, Hinata, and Minato to go on ahead to the bakery as well since he wanted to talk to Kushina. Feeling overwhelmed with joy, Kushina looked at Tetsuya with a smile on her face on route to the bakery.

"You know what, Sis?" Tetsuya stated with a smile on his face.

"What is it, little brother?" Kushina responded back with a question of her own.

"Today is the day when _our_ families are whole again. Despite the rough childhood, we had along the way there were people that found the good within us and love us unconditionally. To tell you the truth Sis, I believe that Yumi will strongly look up to Naruto since he's here. Seems ironic that it was me that looked up to you when we were younger. I know you would agree with me on this, the families we have made were our saving light to fulfill the long-lasting peace we truly deserve." Tetsuya responded with the truth in his voice.

"To think of it, little brother. You are right on everything you told me just now. Well we better head up to the bakery before your wife and Minato get worried about us, you know." Kushina stated while trying to race Tetsuya for the bakery.

Upon arriving at the bakery, Tetsuya and Kushina saw that everyone had smiles on their faces while having a celebratory cake to honor Yumi's victory. After getting a slice of the cake, Tetsuya went up to Yuki and Yumi giving them hugs and kisses. Kushina proceeded to do the same thing to Minato and Naruto but gave Hinata a hug. Tetsuya and Kushina's families were baffled why they gave them hugs and kisses. Tetsuya and Kushina's responses were that they felt like it which more so based on the statement Tetsuya gave to Kushina earlier. Yumi walked up to Tetsuya and gave him a leaf that fell off a tree nearby the playground.

"That is a pretty nice leaf, Yumi. Wait a minute…." Tetsuya said to Yumi while realizing that the leaf was one that fell off a cherry blossom tree.

"Sweetie, that leaf came off a cherry blossom tree. The same type of trees that surrounded me and your daddy on the day we first met." Yuki said to Yumi making the same realization as Tetsuya.

"Honey, I think it's time that we should tell Yumi the story on how we met and fell in love. Not only that, I think Naruto and Hinata should listen on this as well." Tetsuya stated to Yuki with a smile on his face.

After gathering everyone in the Sagakami living room, Tetsuya decided to have Yuki sit right next to him as he was about to begin telling Yumi everything. While listening in Tetsuya's telling of the story, Yuki felt very grateful that she met Tetsuya on that fateful day many years ago, with the cherry blossom trees that surrounded the foot of the hill at the academy. This was the tale of how one man who had sacrificed his dreams in life overcame the odds by fulfilling them in the Pure Land that started with the fateful encounter with the love of his life.


	43. Side Story: Staying at Kushina's House

The morning after Tetsuya's reconciliation with Kushina and Minato, Tetsuya got up early and looked outside on the balcony with a smile on his face. " _I am very happy now that I got to reconcile with Minato and Kushina. Since they now know about Yuki it makes me relieved that I told Kushina and Minato about her last night._ " Tetsuya thought to himself before entering back to Minato and Kushina's house. Upon opening the balcony door, Tetsuya notices that Kushina was in the kitchen and Minato being in the dining room reading a paper.

"Good morning, little brother. How did you sleep?" Kushina greeting Tetsuya with a smile on her face.

"I slept pretty good. Thank you for asking, Sis." Tetsuya responded with a gleeful look on his face.

Not too long after the greeting, Kushina placed the breakfast meal on the dining room plate which both Tetsuya and Minato proceeded to wash up. While eating breakfast, there was a knock at the front door which Minato decided to check to see who it was. This had Tetsuya wonder who wanted to show up at Minato and Kushina's house at that hour. Suddenly, Kushina who had already eaten breakfast decided to see who was at the door. Then Minato made it back to the dining room to finish eating breakfast and noticed that Tetsuya had a curious look on his face.

"Who was at the door, Minato?" Tetsuya asked right after taking his last bite of breakfast.

"You remember Obito and Rin. Don't you, Tetsuya?" Minato stated with honesty written on his face.

Tetsuya had a shocked look once he knew who Minato was referring to and placed a smile on his face. Once he realized that Tetsuya remembered Obito and Rin, Minato needed to tell Tetsuya something not before cleaning up the breakfast dishes. Before Minato could say anything, Kushina had walked into the kitchen with a smile on her face.

"What are you happy about, Kushina?" Minato asked out of curiosity.

"I am happy that you are going to help out Obito and Rin with their training today, you know." Kushina responded with a joyous look on her face.

"If you were going to ask me to help you out, Minato. I do not mind helping at all. So, when do you want me to be ready to head out?" Tetsuya stated with a calm look on his face.

Kushina and Minato were surprised that Tetsuya figured out what Minato was originally going to say to him. However, it made sense since Tetsuya had not seen Obito and Rin in a very long time dating back to the day when Tetsuya entered the Pure Land three years ago; Minato knew that this would be the perfect opportunity for Tetsuya to catch up with some of their old friends.

"I say be ready in about a few minutes or so. Because I need to get ready as well, Tetsuya." Minato responded to Tetsuya's question.

So, Tetsuya got everything he needed to head out with Minato and grabbed his phone to place it in a very careful spot in his pants pocket. Knowing that this training excursion would take the entire day Kushina started to prepare lunch. Once Minato stepped foot into the living room, he and Tetsuya got ready to head out to meet up with Obito and Rin.

"Where are, we supposed to meet Obito and Rin? Because the village is big enough that we might end up getting lost, Minato." Tetsuya stated with a worried look on his face.

"There is a training ground just about a few blocks east of my house. That is where we are meeting Obito and Rin. They are going to be surprised to see you, Tetsuya. Because I didn't mention to them that you are in the area." Minato answered Tetsuya's question while on the way to the training grounds.

Upon arriving at the training grounds, Minato saw a short black haired male standing next to a female with brown hair and purple markings on her cheeks facing the other side of the grounds. Realizing that it was the people they were supposed to meet, Minato instructed Tetsuya to stay still until he gives the signal for him to come over.

"What took you so long to get here, Minato-sensei?" The black-haired male said with a stern voice.

"Sorry about that, sensei. Obito started to get impatient whether you would show up for our training session." The brown-haired female said with a calm look on her face.

"Obito and Rin you two know that I will always show up at these sessions. Don't forget that I am your sensei after all. Besides I brought someone that will help with our training for today." Minato stated in a humble tone towards his students.

This had Obito and Rin wondering who is the mystery assistant that Minato brought for their training session. That is when Minato gave the signal for Tetsuya to slowly come in his direction.

"I hope it isn't Kushina again." Obito said with a big sigh underneath his breath.

"Oh please, Obito. Kushina likes to pick on you especially when we do our training sessions with Minato-sensei." Rin stated to Obito with a quiet sigh underneath her breath.

While hearing their conversation, Tetsuya had a quiet chuckle realizing that Kushina still has the same habit of picking on Obito. Minato had a sigh realizing that Obito is still fretting about the previous time Kushina came by to help in the training session.

"I see that Kushina still likes to torment you even while we are here in the Pure Land, Obito." Tetsuya stated while he patted Obito's head indicating he had approached to Minato, Obito, and Rin's location.

Obito and Rin were in shock to see that Tetsuya was standing right next to Minato. This is when Rin immediately realized that Tetsuya is the mystery assistant that Minato was talking about earlier.

"That's right, Rin. I am going to be helping out with your guys training today and making sure not to give your sensei a hard time." Tetsuya stated upon looking at Rin's facial expression.

"Tetsuya-senpai, it's been a long time since we last saw you. I am happy though that you are assisting Minato-sensei with our training today." Rin stated with a gleeful look on her face.

Tetsuya cooperated with Minato's training regimen for a while until it was midday when he, Minato, Obito, and Rin ended their training session. Once they found a spot on the training grounds to sit at, Minato notices that Kushina was coming with a picnic basket. This is when Tetsuya realizes that Kushina is bringing lunch to Tetsuya, Minato, Obito, and Rin.

"Kushina-san." Rin greeted Kushina with a big smile on her face.

Tetsuya, Minato, and Obito had weird looks on their faces after Kushina greeted Rin. Then Kushina placed the picnic basket on the middle of the training grounds and gave the men glares in response to the weird looks. Immediately, everyone started to eat the lunch Kushina made and brought over.

"I didn't have the chance to ask this earlier since we were focusing on training. What have you been up to these days, Tetsuya-senpai?" Rin said out of curiosity on her and Obito's behalf.

While taking a bite of Kushina's homemade lunch, Tetsuya started to pull his cell phone out of his pocket. Obito and Rin were baffled into why Tetsuya brought out his cell phone instead of replying to Rin's question. Tetsuya waited until everyone got done eating lunch before answering Rin's question. Minato and Kushina knew a general idea of what Tetsuya might say since he told them the night before.

"About three days ago, I had graduated from an academy that I attended for three years. Along the way, I made good friends where my bonds with them are like the bond I share with your sensei. Then yesterday I got to reconcile with your sensei and Kushina-san. There is a very special reason why I wanted to come to this area other than making amends with my past." Tetsuya responded to Rin's question with an honest look on his face.

"Tetsuya-senpai, what is this special reason that you are talking about coming back here for a visit?" Obito asked out of curiosity.

It was in that moment, Tetsuya had a big smile on his face before scrolling through his phone to find the picture of just him and Yuki. Kushina had sensed the motive why Tetsuya was doing this action before answering Obito's question. Rin and Obito were a bit confused into what Tetsuya was doing.

"The special reason you see is that very recently I met this girl who is very dear to me and makes me feel the happiest that I have ever been every time she is right by my side. There is a picture with me and the girl on my phone that I want to show to you and Rin." Tetsuya responded to Obito's question with honesty. Then Tetsuya walked up to Obito and Rin to show the picture he mentioned in the response.

"Tetsuya-senpai, that girl is very pretty in the picture. Is she a friend of yours?" Obito asked out of curiosity.

"Hold on, Obito. I think that she is just more than a friend of Tetsuya-sempai's. Wait a minute is she…." Rin stated her observation before Tetsuya could answer Obito's question.

"Yes, Rin. The girl in that picture I just showed you guys is my girlfriend. She is very pretty indeed, Obito." Tetsuya responded to both Obito and Rin's statements with a smile on his face.

Obito and Rin were a bit surprised to hear Tetsuya's response. That led them to stare at Kushina and Minato wondering if what Tetsuya said was true. Kushina and Minato nodded their heads yes in confirming that it was indeed true.

"So, what is your girlfriend's name, Tetsuya-senpai?" Rin asked out of curiosity.

"Her name is Yuki Sakagami." Tetsuya answered to Rin's question.

"Yuki, that is a very nice name. How did you meet and fall in love with her, Tetsuya-senpai?" Obito asked out of curiosity.

Before Tetsuya could answer Obito's question, he notices that Minato and Kushina were heading back to their house. Kushina told Tetsuya to stay at the training grounds and come back to the house not too late. That is when Minato realized that Kushina wanted Tetsuya to catch up with his team since the training session took so long. Obito and Rin waved goodbye to their sensei and Kushina before shifting their attention to Tetsuya in anticipation for his response.

"Well it was around four months ago, on the way to the academy mainly on the foot of the hill near the academy entrance. I noticed Yuki was standing there feeling afraid to walk up the hill and she said something that she wanted to eat to build up confidence. Halfway through that school day was when I had the courage to talk to her since she was eating lunch all by herself. After talking for a short while, that was when Yuki invited me to eat dinner at her house with her family. You see Yuki's family owns and operates a bakery which I did not fully know about until that very night." Tetsuya stated part of his response to Obito and Rin with a calm look.

"That is interesting to hear so far, Tetsuya-senpai. How did you fall in love with Yuki?" Rin asked partway through Tetsuya's response.

"Then the following day came and I ended up having a deep conversation with Yuki about some of the bonds that we held very dearly. Partway through the conversation I learned that Yuki has a very caring personality. Once I told Yuki about the bond between me and Kushina-san with it growing when she married your sensei including how it became frailer. Yuki told me that she believes the bond I hold very dearly will come to its former strength. That was basically made me realize that I started to fall in love with Yuki. However, the days leading up to professing my feelings to Yuki was a tale of its own." Tetsuya stated while taking another breather from his response.

During the breather from his response, Tetsuya alongside Obito and Rin decided to leave the training grounds. Once they made it back into the Pure Land Leaf Village, Obito went his separate ways while Rin wanted to accompany Tetsuya back to Minato and Kushina's house.

"How come you wanted to accompany me back to Minato and Kushina's house, Rin? I'm surprised that Obito did not want to come with us." Tetsuya stated while him and Rin were on route to Minato and Kushina's place.

"Well not only I needed to ask Minato-sensei and Kushina-san something important. I want to hear the rest of your tale on how you fell in love with Yuki, Tetsuya-senpai. As for Obito, I guess he is not more into finding out how people fall in love unlike myself." Rin responded to Tetsuya's question with honesty.

Tetsuya was a bit surprised to hear Rin's answer. However, it made sense for Tetsuya since he treated Rin like a sister figure while they were alive.

"I figured you wanted to hear the rest of the story, Rin. Well I had two close friends of mine that I made at the academy and explained to them about my encounter with Yuki. Based on what I told them, they knew right away that I had strong feelings for Yuki and were very supportive of my cause. There was something that I never knew about Yuki until her sister and father basically told me that she had been feeling down whenever she was at home. Suddenly, Yuki's sister came into my apartment one day and told me that Yuki felt happy which to her was unusual. Truth be told, her sister told me that the reason Yuki was happy is because of me. However, Yuki had kept something deep down inside that her father told me that she never forgave herself for seeing her sister falling down while she was not around." Tetsuya stated before taking a sip of water at a nearby water fountain.

"Wow Tetsuya-senpai that is like how you never forgave yourself for what happened to Minato-sensei and Kushina-san. Did Yuki's situation get resolved just like yours?" Rin asked out of curiosity.

"Yes, it did. However, but before the issue got resolved Yuki's father knew that I had strong feelings for Yuki. Ironic isn't it. The day when the issue got resolved happened to fall on Yuki's birthday. There was a birthday party for Yuki but she did not know that I was coming since her parents wanted me to be the surprise from them to Yuki. I had brought her a present that she liked a lot. Then while heading back to my apartment Yuki had stopped me to thank me for making her birthday special. That was the moment when I told Yuki my feelings for her and she was very happy about my confession to the point where she started to tear up. A few days later when me and Yuki went on our first date, that was when I realized Yuki had fallen in love with me and we professed it to each other afterwards. So how did you think of the story, Rin?" Tetsuya stated the rest of his response to Rin.

"It was very interesting to say the very least. I am very happy for you, Tetsuya-senpai. At least there is somebody in the Pure Land that loves you for the way you are. By the way, we were already at the front door to Minato-sensei and Kushina-san's house when you finished your response." Rin stated with an honest look on her face.

Realizing that the latter part of Rin's statement was true, Tetsuya and Rin entered Minato and Kushina's house. Upon entering the house, Tetsuya notices that Kushina was cooking dinner and Minato was reading a paper at the dining room table.

"I see that you were escorted back here, little brother. It will be a while before dinner gets done." Kushina greeted Tetsuya who took a seat in the dining room table.

"In a way, yes Sis. But Rin wanted to come by to ask you and Minato about something." Tetsuya stated back in response to Kushina's greeting.

This brought the attention of Minato who placed the paper he was reading on the table to hear what Rin had to say. Tetsuya decided to check his phone to see if he had gotten any messages in the past couple of hours while waiting on Rin to say something.

"Minato-sensei and Kushina-san, I was wanting to ask you guys about something which didn't come into mind until our training session today. It's more on the lines of a request which only I ask for. Before saying the request, there is a quick question I want to ask. Tetsuya-senpai, how long are you going to be down here for?" Rin addressed to everyone that was in the house.

"I am going to be here in the village for three more days. Why did you want to know that, Rin?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity.

"The reason why I was asking that question is that it involves my request. Minato-sensei and Kushina-san, I am asking for your cooperation to help me make something special for Tetsuya-senpai to show his girlfriend when he returns home." Rin stated her request in an honest tone in her voice.

"That is ok with me and Kushina, Rin. What made you come up with this great idea? I mean it's very thoughtful to do such a thing for Tetsuya." Minato stated with a curious look on his face.

Kushina who had been hearing the conversation the entire time that she was cooking dinner noticed the surprised look that Tetsuya had on his face. " _Oh, sweet little Rin. I think that you are wanting to do this to not benefit my little brother with his happiness rather more so thanking him for all of the times he ever helped you out, you know._ " Kushina thought to herself with a smile on her face.

"The idea came to me while listening to the story that Tetsuya-senpai told me today, Minato-sensei. Tetsuya-senpai, based on the tone you gave in explaining the story about Yuki it sounded very special which I had never witnessed coming from you." Rin stating the origin of her idea with a smile on her face.

"What do you mean by that, Rin?" Kushina asked out of curiosity.

"I mean is that Tetsuya-senpai has found someone that truly loves him and he felt the happiest that I have ever seen your brother when he mentioned Yuki. Basically, I want to make the special thing not only to appreciate everything Tetsuya-senpai has ever done for me since I met Minato-sensei. It is also to thank Yuki for being the very special person that is in Tetsuya-senpai's life." Rin stated her answer with pure honesty.

Upon hearing that statement, Tetsuya had a big smile on his face with a tear dripping down his eye. Minato got up and patted on Tetsuya's shoulder with a smile on his face. After wiping the tear off his face, Tetsuya notices that Kushina was smiling as well even though she had finished dinner preparations.

"Thank you, Rin, for the kind statement, I appreciate it a lot. If this is something that you guys want to do, then I am all for it." Tetsuya said with a gleeful look on his face.

Suddenly, Rin wanted to have dinner with Tetsuya, Minato, and Kushina since she did not have to be at home for a while. With that dinner was served and Tetsuya had a wondrous look on his face once he got done eating. This had Rin, Minato, and Kushina looking at Tetsuya with a confused look on their faces.

"What is it, little brother?" Kushina asked out of curiosity.

"I was thinking how much Yuki is going to like the project you guys are going to be working on. Also, it had me wonder what my girlfriend is doing right now even though I promised to call her when I am on my way back home." Tetsuya honestly answered Kushina's question.

"I'll presume that she is still missing you and waiting for your return, Tetsuya. Would you care to write a list of some of the things that your girlfriend likes? This can help narrow down the main idea of the project." Minato stated as he put his hand on Tetsuya's shoulder.

With a smile on his face, Tetsuya proceeded to jot down on a piece of paper the main things that Yuki likes and handed it to Minato. Upon examining the list Minato, Kushina, and Rin had come up with the ultimate project idea.

"Tetsuya-senpai, based on what you wrote here on this list. We have decided as the project to be making a quilt with pictures of the things your girlfriend likes." Rin stated after looking at the list.

Tetsuya felt happy that this project was going to be a collage of things that Yuki likes and proceeded to put his dinner dishes in the sink. Not too long after that, Rin had left Minato and Kushina's house since it was starting to get late. This left Kushina cleaning up the dishes from dinner while Minato and Tetsuya proceeded to head to the living room.

"I was planning to stop by Lord Third's house tomorrow if him and Lady Biwako are around. You see before I came here to your house, Sis and Minato. I had promised Lord Third that I wanted to see them at least one more time before I head back home. No worries though I can help out with your project afterwards." Tetsuya stating plans for the following day with a calm look on his face.

"We understand, Tetsuya. Even though the quilt will take us the duration of your visit. By the time, it will be done. Not only your girlfriend will love it but you as well once you show it to her." Minato stated based on hearing Tetsuya's statement.

Realizing that it was already getting late Minato decided to head off to bed while Tetsuya and Kushina were still in the living room. That is when both Tetsuya and Kushina wished Minato a good night while he was on route to the bedroom. However, Kushina was surprised that Tetsuya was staying up later than he usually does.

"What is it little brother?" Kushina asked while she was organizing the books that were on the living room table.

"I'm just awestricken that Rin would come up with the idea that she did earlier today. To think of it I am starting to understand how you feel each time Rin praises about everything you do, Sis. Also, any person here in the village that I told about my relationship with Yuki it seems that everyone is happy for me." Tetsuya said with a gleeful tone.

"That's true, you know. It's that you are starting to understand the feelings I had when I first fell in love with Minato. I wish to meet Yuki one day because I want to thank her for loving my little brother and making him the happiest he has ever been. Sorry if I got you teary eyed, little brother." Kushina stated while wiping off some tears that started to appear in Tetsuya's eyes.

"It's ok, Sis. Anyways I think we better get to bed because I am starting tired and I do not want Minato getting worried about your whereabouts." Tetsuya said while he heading off to the guest bedroom.

Kushina wished Tetsuya a good night as well before heading off to bed. Upon entering the bedroom, Kushina notices that Minato had a joyous look on his face which caught her off guard.

"I heard what you said to Tetsuya and agree with every single of word of it. To tell you the truth Kushina, I believe there is a reason why Tetsuya wanted to reconcile with us besides apologizing for what happened in the past." Minato stated while Kushina just sat down on the bed.

"Hmm…what is this reasoning that you are talking about Minato?" Kushina asked out of curiosity.

"I think the other reason why Tetsuya wanted to reconcile with us is based on what he told us about his girlfriend yesterday. Basically, Tetsuya was doing this for his girlfriend because he wants her to one day meet us and show that he is the very caring person which we knew he would end up being." Minato stating his reason honestly before shutting his eyes. A few seconds later, Kushina started to fall asleep as well.

The following day, Tetsuya got up a few minutes before Kushina started to prepare breakfast. Minato who was in the dining room greeted Tetsuya upon his arrival to eat breakfast with a smile on his face. Kushina did the same thing once she placed breakfast on the dining room table.

"So, Tetsuya when are you leaving for Lord Third's house?" Minato asked after taking a bite of his breakfast.

"I am planning on heading over there once I get done eating breakfast." Tetsuya answered with a calm look on his face halfway through eating breakfast.

"I see little brother. So, do you know when you are coming back from visiting Lord Third?" Kushina asked out of curiosity.

"It might be until early evening when I will be back here, Sis. Anyways I better get ready to head that way." Tetsuya answered once he put his breakfast dishes in the sink.

Once Tetsuya got ready for the day, he left Minato and Kushina's house for the Sarutobi residence. While walking towards the Sarutobi residence, Tetsuya notices that Rin was heading to Minato and Kushina's house with some supplies needed for the special project.

Meanwhile, Hiruzen was reading through a book before hearing a knock on his front door and told his wife, Biwako that he was answering the door. Once he opened the door, Hiruzen was surprised to see Tetsuya standing there. Upon greeting, each other Hiruzen and Tetsuya stepped foot inside the Sarutobi residence.

"So, what brings you here today, Tetsuya?" Hiruzen stated once Tetsuya got situated in the living room.

"Well it is that not only I wanted to visit you and Lady Biwako like I promised before my journey back home. But Minato and Kushina are working on this project that they want me to bring back home as a suggestion by Rin. I had helped out Minato yesterday with training his team and that is how Rin knew mostly everything I told you a couple of days ago, Lord Third." Tetsuya responded with an honest look on his face.

"I see, Tetsuya. It is perfect timing that you showed up because I need someone to help me and Biwako rearrange a few things in the house. I suppose you can call it volunteer work like what Minato and Kushina do all the time if they didn't tell you that already." Hiruzen stated upon hearing Tetsuya's answer.

"Don't worry, Tetsuya. We will show you where certain things go." Biwako stated with honesty on her face.

Tetsuya felt relieved that he was going to do some volunteer work for the Sarutobis. This was the first time since Tetsuya entered the Pure Land that he was going to help the Sarutobis. About halfway through the day is when Tetsuya managed to complete everything that Hiruzen and Biwako wanted him to do. Hiruzen offered a cup of tea to Tetsuya for his service which was graciously accepted.

"Thank you for helping us rearrange our house, Tetsuya." Biwako stated her thanks once she sat in the living room with Tetsuya and Hiruzen.

Tetsuya nodded his head in a yes fashion to respond back to Biwako's statement. However, there was something on Tetsuya's mind while sipping on his cup of tea with both Biwako and Hiruzen noticing it right away.

"What is it, Tetsuya?" Hiruzen asked out of curiosity.

"There was something that I need to tell you and Lady Biwako. This involves the real reason why I wanted to reconcile with Minato and Kushina. It has a meaning outside of myself patching up the mistakes I have made in the past." Tetsuya responded with a calm look on his face.

"So, what is the reason why you wanted to reconcile with Kushina and Minato? We kind of figured that there would be another reason for what you did, Tetsuya." Biwako asked out of curiosity.

"Hmm…does this reason have to do with your girlfriend, Tetsuya?" Hiruzen asked before Tetsuya could even respond to Biwako's question.

Tetsuya was completely surprised that Hiruzen figured out the core reason why he wanted to reconcile with Minato and Kushina.

"Yes, Lord Third. How did you and Lady Biwako figure that would be the reason for my actions?" Tetsuya responded with a curious look on his face.

"Well we figured it out not only when you planned to come down here in the village to see everybody. However, the final piece of the puzzle was a couple of days when you told us about your girlfriend the first night of your visit, Tetsuya. You can still explain this reason to us anyways." Hiruzen responded with an honest look on his face.

"I had a conversation Yuki about two days after I met her and we had talked about the kind of bonds we have towards our siblings. When I told her about the bond I had with Kushina then Yuki felt sorry for me. Once I started dating Yuki, there was something special about her that gave me to have the confidence to do things I was afraid of doing for the longest time. About the time, I called you to notify about my arrival; I had told Yuki about my plan on reconciling with Minato and Kushina. Then she told me in response how proud and happy she was for me wanting to go through with this plan. To tell you guys the truth, I think Yuki is someone who not only I love and is the most important person that I have ever met. My values over her are starting to surpass the values and love that I have for Kushina and Minato." Tetsuya honestly stating his reason to both Hiruzen and Biwako.

"It sounds like you have found someone that you love unconditionally to the point that you would do anything that would make both you and Yuki happy. Am I right, Tetsuya?" Biwako asked in response to Tetsuya's statement.

"To come to think of it that really does sound right, Lady Biwako." Tetsuya responded to Biwako's question with a smile on his face.

Realizing that it was getting late, Tetsuya proceeded to leave the Sarutobi residence for Minato and Kushina's house. Not even taking a couple of steps outside of the residence, Tetsuya was approached by Hiruzen.

"After what you said back there, Tetsuya. I strongly agreed to what my wife said and we could be more proud of you. See you later if not on the day you head back home." Hiruzen stated to Tetsuya before heading back to his house.

"Thank you, Lord Third." Tetsuya said while waving goodbye to Hiruzen.

Once he entered Minato and Kushina's house, Tetsuya was amazed on the quilt project has come along so far. Noticing that Minato and Kushina were not in the living room or in the kitchen Tetsuya glanced at the back balcony to see two people standing there. That is when Tetsuya realized that Minato and Kushina were the ones standing in the balcony and opened the door.

"You're back, little brother. I assume that everything went good by Lord Third's today. Anyways we had dinner a little while ago and saved you some food that is still warmly sitting on the table." Kushina stated once she noticed Tetsuya was standing in the balcony.

Tetsuya nodded his head in a yes fashion before heading back inside to eat dinner. However, Minato had a suspicious look on the way Tetsuya was acting which had also caught Kushina's attention.

"Umm…Tetsuya, I think there is something that we need to tell you. It had me and Kushina starting to figure out the real reason why you wanted to reconcile with us. You see this was something that we talked about last night. We wanted to know is the reasoning should do with Yuki?" Minato asked out of curiosity while Tetsuya was finishing eating his dinner.

"Yes, that is right. You see there is something very special about Yuki that makes me feel happy and gives me hope in loving her unconditionally. The way I love Yuki is to the point where I would do anything for her to make her feel happy. Yuki knew that I was going to reconcile with you guys since she was the first person I told about this plan. By the time, I got done telling her this plan, Yuki was very proud of me to do such a thing. Also, there was a special conversation I had with Yuki right after I first met her." Tetsuya responded right before he took a sip of tea that was right next to his plate.

"What do you mean by that, little brother?" Kushina asked out of curiosity.

"This special conversation took place the day after I met Yuki's family. I had a suspicion on something that I wanted to ask Yuki. It had pertained about the kind of bond Yuki had with her sister. That ultimately led me into telling Yuki the bond we have, Sis. Mind you this was at the time when I felt sad about abruptly leaving you and Minato three years ago; I want you to be honest with me, were you sad when I left that day three years ago, Sis?" Tetsuya responded with a calm look on his face.

That was something which had Minato feeling concerned since Kushina did not tell Tetsuya the truth of her feelings on the situation before the reconciliation. However, Tetsuya could tell by Minato's facial expression that it was hard for not only on Minato but mostly Kushina.

"Yes, I was very sad when you left three years ago, little brother. I didn't want to say anything about it the other day when you reconciled with me and Minato. It would make me cry bad just like I am right now." Kushina responded with tears coming down her face.

Tetsuya embraced his sister while wiping the tears off her face and whispered into her ear thanking her for being honest with him. Minato proceeded to grab a couple of glasses of tea and placed them in the living room.

"Oh, there is something very special I want to give you, little brother. Even though it is only two more days before you head back home." Kushina stated while walking to her bedroom grabbing something that she was going to give Tetsuya.

Once Kushina came back with a book like object, Tetsuya was a bit confused on what his sister had in her hand. Minato had a smile on his face upon Kushina giving the object to Tetsuya.

"What is this, Sis?" Tetsuya asked with a wondrous look on his face.

"It's a journal that I kept record of everything that happened between me and Minato every day until the day you reconciled with us, little brother." Kushina responded with a smile on her face.

Then Tetsuya started to read a little of this journal while taking gradual sips of his tea. Partway through reading the journal, Tetsuya started to chuckle a little based on the entries he was reading.

"What is it, Tetsuya?" Minato asked with a nervous look on his face.

"I'm just startled at some of the ways Kushina wrote on how she embarrassed you, Minato. To tell you the truth, I think the reason why she did is to feel happy around you instead of being sad like she was a moment ago, about our now patched up situation. Anyways, it's getting late and I need to get some sleep if I am planning starting packing up tomorrow." Tetsuya responded while on his way to put the journal into his duffle bag.

"Good night, little brother." Kushina said before Tetsuya went to sleep.

Now came the last full day of Tetsuya's trip, Tetsuya figured he would help with Minato, Kushina, and Rin with the final touches on their project. When Kushina heard about this she felt happy that Tetsuya was staying to see the result of the quilt that will have pictures of things Yuki likes. Upon finishing breakfast, there was a knock on the door which Minato went to see who was there.

"Hello, Minato-sensei. Sorry I'm a little bit late just that Obito had me do a quick errand. Oh, hello Kushina-san and Tetsuya-senpai." Rin stated once Minato opened the door.

That was when Rin entered the living room and proceeded to pull out the quilt from a cabinet situated next to the sofa. Immediately, Kushina went to the living room to help Rin out with the quilt. Tetsuya with a smile proceeded to the guest bedroom where he can start packing for his journey back home to see Yuki again. Minato decided to check on Tetsuya a few minutes later.

"Do you need any help with packing, Tetsuya?" Minato asked out of generosity.

"Not really, thank you. Minato, do you have a second?" Tetsuya responded back with a calm look on his face.

"Sure, Tetsuya. What is it?" Minato stated out of curiosity.

"You remember that talk we had last night about my explanation for the real reason why I wanted to reconcile with you and Kushina. You see when I was by Lord Third's yesterday and told them the same story. It seems that they figured out the same thing you and Kushina did. I learned a lot from my short time here visiting the village." Tetsuya stated as he and Minato were heading back to the living room.

Upon walking in the living room, Tetsuya notices that Kushina and Rin finished making the quilt. Once he glanced at the quilt, Tetsuya felt joy coming into his heart and sat back down on the sofa. Kushina and Rin were happy that Tetsuya really liked the quilt which they proceeded to put on top of Tetsuya's duffle bag.

"I overheard a piece of the conversation you had with Minato. So, what did you mean by learning a lot from your visit, little brother?" Kushina asked out of curiosity since Rin was wondering the same thing.

"I learned how everyone was very happy for me when I told them about my relationship with Yuki. There was one other thing I learned coming up here and it does pertain to the reconciliation. You see when I reconciled with you and Minato, which led me later that night telling you guys about my relationship with Yuki. I learned that you guys were happy for me and told me that you want to meet my girlfriend. Expressing that same feeling through the quilt made me happy. To tell you the truth, despite that I miss my girlfriend but you guys gave me the reason to love her more so now than ever." Tetsuya responded with a dry tear on his face.

"Tetsuya-senpai, I wish one day that I can either see or talk to your girlfriend. The reason why I say this is that I want to tell her thank you for making my second sensei happy and loving him for the way he is." Rin stated right before she was getting ready to leave Minato and Kushina's house.

Realizing that this would be the last time for a while before Tetsuya sees Rin again, he found a piece of paper to write down his phone number. That is when Minato and Kushina knew that Tetsuya was going out of his way to make Rin's wish become a reality.

"Here is my contact information, Rin. You can call me at any time if you need someone other than your sensei, Kushina-san, or Obito to talk to. Your wish will come true one of these days. Thank you so much for the quilt it turned out lovely just what I hoped for." Tetsuya stated his goodbye to Rin after giving his contact information.

The rest of that day was going smoothly with Tetsuya finished his packing and decided to unwind a little bit after eating the Kushina special for dinner. However, Minato and Kushina decided to head into the living room sitting in the sofa adjacent to Tetsuya's sitting spot.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow, little brother?" Kushina asked out of curiosity.

"In a way, I am nervous about it, Sis. Since I do not know how much Yuki has missed me after having that phone conversation a few days ago; also, I will give her the quilt eventually in case I forget to do so tomorrow." Tetsuya responded to Kushina's question before heading off to bed.

"What time does your train leave out tomorrow, Tetsuya?" Minato asked out of quick curiosity.

"It leaves midday. So, I am planning on heading over there after breakfast if you guys want to accompany me there. Good night, Sis and Minato. Love you guys." Tetsuya answered Minato's question with a tired look on his face.


	44. Side Story: Preparing MK Visit Reflected

It was the day after Tetsuya told Yuki about the plans of Minato and Kushina visiting the area, Tetsuya got up early so he could get to work early. " _I hope Yuki has a good first day at work. Well I better head over there to see if Yosaki has anything for me to do before the bakery opens._ " Tetsuya thought to himself right as he was locking up his apartment. Upon arriving at the bakery, Tetsuya notices that Yosaki was standing there waiting for him with a cup of coffee in his hand.

"Good morning, Tetsuya. You're here a bit early. There's a cup of coffee waiting for you on the counter." Yosaki greeted Tetsuya with a stern look on his face.

"Why thank you, Yosaki." Tetsuya stated once he entered the bakery seeing the cup of coffee in the counter.

Right as he was about to take a sip of coffee, Tetsuya notices that somebody was coming from the hallway. It was none other than Shiznae bringing out a batch of pastries and immediately Tetsuya helped arrange them in an orderly fashion. Immediately Tetsuya and Shiznae greeted each other once Tetsuya got back to the counter getting ready to put his apron on.

"I heard that your sister and brother-in-law are coming to visit in a couple of weeks, Tetsuya. You see Yuki told me about it last night when she came back from your apartment." Shiznae stated once Tetsuya finished his cup of coffee.

"I see since she was excited to hear about it and about her starting work today. Speaking of that, what time is Yuki supposed to start work?" Tetsuya asked out of curiosity.

"In about an hour, Tetsuya. Thank you for reminding us about that. One of us should wake her up. Oh wait, I see Shia coming this way." Yosaki responded back with a sigh on his face.

"Shia, is your sister up?" Shiznae asked Shia once she entered the bakery portion of the household.

"Yes, Yuki's up. Oh, good morning Mom, Dad, and Tetsuya." Shia responded with a calm look on her face.

It was then that everyone heard a panicked voice coming from the back which caused Shiznae to go towards the source of the voice. By the time that Shiznae got there, she noticed that Yuki was frantically getting ready for her first day of work. Tetsuya was walking in Shiznae's direction to the kitchen to put his and Yosaki's coffee cups in the sink, but not before taking notice at the sight that he was seeing. So, Tetsuya placed the coffee cups in the sink and went back to where Shiznae was standing.

"Tetsuya, I don't know why Yuki is frantically worried about getting ready for her first day of work at the noodle shop. How come you weren't like this yesterday? Sorry if I am stalling you since it's right around time for the bakery to be opened." Shiznae asked out of curiosity.

"It's alright, Shiznae. The reason I did not feel the way that Yuki is now would be that I knew working for you and Yosaki was going to be ok. Also, I had planned on working here for a while unlike Yuki who told me last night about the date of her first day at work. Anyways, I better head back up to the counter before Yosaki wonders what took me so long to drop off the coffee cups." Tetsuya responded while he was on his way back to the front counter of the bakery.

Shia and Yosaki had wondrous looks on their faces once Tetsuya had approached his destination. It was then that Tetsuya explained to them what had happened and proceeded to help Yosaki open the bakery. Right before Tetsuya turned on the cash register, a familiar face who looked anxious walked up to Tetsuya and it put a sigh of relief on Tetsuya, Shia, and Yosaki's faces. That was when Shiznae told Shia and Yosaki that breakfast was ready and wished Tetsuya luck on another day of work.

"Good morning, Yuki. Are you feeling alright?" Tetsuya asked out of concern upon seeing Yuki's facial expression.

"Oh umm…Good morning, Tetsuya. It's that I am worried about what might happen to me on my first day of work. I don't know if anyone will like me over there." Yuki responded with a sad and worried look on her face.

"Don't worry, Yuki. There will be somebody at your work that is bound to like you. I believe in you and try to be yourself on the first day ok. You better head over there and make a good impression. I will see you when you get back or if you want to meet me at my apartment. Have a good first day at work and I love you." Tetsuya stated in a reassuring tone and gave Yuki a kiss on her forehead to make sure that everything was going to be alright.

Yuki felt happy and she headed off to the noodle shop in the first day of her new job. Shiznae watched the entire situation from the hallway and checked to see how Tetsuya was holding up even though no customers had shown up yet. Immediately, Shia noticed her mother's facial expression while on her way back to the bedroom.

Meanwhile, Yuki made it to the noodle shop within ten minutes before she began her shift and started to feel a little nervous. Right before taking another step in the noodle shop, the head chef notices Yuki had entered the building. That was when the head chef instructed Yuki to come over by the front counter.

"Ah, so you're the new cook-in-training. I'm going to be your superior. Anyways, I am going to teach you how to make the ramen noodles just right for our customers and here is a hairnet to put on so we don't want strands of hair in the noodles." The head chef stating his introductions to Yuki.

Once Yuki put on the hairnet is when the head chef proceeded to show Yuki the basics on making decent ramen noodle dishes. After having Yuki test out what she learned, the head chef was immediately impressed by Yuki's work. Then a couple of other chefs took notice and proceeded to introduce themselves to Yuki.

"You're a fast learner aren't you, Yuki. If you keep it up at this rate somewhere in the future, you might end up having the position of being a head chef. Anyways, if you need any help I will be over there in the front counter or one of the chefs nearby will assist you." The head chef stated right before he went back to work.

Yuki took the compliment very well and proceeded to make more ramen dishes that customers were ordering. About three hours into her shift, Yuki's superior told her to take a half-hour lunch break and Yuki decided to take a seat next to two other chefs that watched her work earlier.

"You seem to be a bit nervous. Despite how you are learning and doing a decent job so far, Yuki was it. Me and my partner over here are impressed by your skills so far just like the boss said." The chef sitting to the left said to Yuki.

The other chef that was sitting on the right nodded their head in agreeing to the statement. Yuki felt happy while eating complimentary ramen that some of her co-workers are impressed about her skill.

Meanwhile back at the bakery, Shiznae instructed Tetsuya to take a lunch break with Shia taking over his spot. Tetsuya eating part of his lunch notices that Shiznae had a wondrous look on her face which had also got Yosaki's attention.

"Tetsuya, I watched what you told Yuki earlier today. I thought that very nice of you to raise Yuki's hopes up and making her better." Shiznae stated with honesty on her face.

"Well I figured that Yuki should not have her first day of work being ruined due to being very anxious on how everything turns out. I mean she felt the same way as you guys recall when she first met and talked to me. I know you guys believe that Yuki will do just fine on her first day just like me. Anyways, I better head back over there to see if Shia did not give customers a hard time." Tetsuya stated right as he was putting his lunch dishes in the sink.

Then Tetsuya made it back to the front counter to finish off the remainder of his shift and which he took with stride. This was to help Tetsuya more focused on his work rather than wondering on how Yuki's first day at work was going. Once his shift was over and the bakery closed for the day, Tetsuya headed to his apartment not before being approached by Shiznae.

"Did you not want to stay for dinner, Tetsuya?" Shiznae asked out of curiosity.

"Not really but thank you for the offer. It's that I need to start moving somethings around before my sister and brother-in-law's visit. Despite that it is a couple of weeks before their visit but I needed to get a head start. If Yuki was expecting me to eat dinner at the bakery, can you tell her that I am sorry. Anyways, I better head back to the apartment." Tetsuya responded with an honest look on his face.

"Alright, I will tell Yuki what you told me. Before I forget, me and Yosaki decided that you should have a couple of days off. It has nothing to do with your performance in working for us, it's that we figured you need a little break, Tetsuya." Shiznae stated to Tetsuya before heading back to the bakery.

Tetsuya proceeded to thank Shiznae and was on his way back to his apartment with a smile on his face. Right around that same time, Yuki was leaving work and her superior handed out her work schedule where she gets three days off work for the next few weeks. This made Yuki happy that everyone at the noodle shop began liking her work so far.

Upon arriving back at the bakery, Yuki notices that Shiznae was standing at the playground expecting her arrival. This made Yuki curious into why her own mother was not inside the bakery.

"Oh, hello Yuki, sweetheart. How was your first day at work?" Shiznae asked with a calm look on her face.

"It was great, Mom. Everyone there liked how I was doing everything my superior told me to do wonderfully. How come you are out here, won't Dad and Shia start to worry about you?" Yuki responded with a worried look on her face.

"I have been out here since Tetsuya got done with work. I do not think your father and sister would not worry too much since they want to hear how your first day of work went. There was something that Tetsuya wanted me to tell you; he wanted me to tell you that he could not eat dinner with us tonight since he was getting a head-start in preparing for his sister and brother-in-law's visit. Please don't get upset with him because Tetsuya wanted to apologize to you about not making it to dinner." Shiznae responded while noticing Yuki was starting to feel sad partway through her message.

"Besides Yuki aren't you going over to see Tetsuya at his apartment later. Come on inside so you can help Dad prepare dinner. I think Dad wants to hear how your first day of work went. You don't have to tell me about it since I overheard the conversation you had with Mom." Shia stated while getting Yuki and Shiznae back inside the bakery.

Meanwhile, Tetsuya was getting ready to prepare himself some dinner before his phone started to ring. Upon seeing who was trying to call Tetsuya, he immediately picked it up.

"Hi, Sis. You caught me at the perfect time because I just got home from work. How are you and Minato doing?" Tetsuya responded on his end of the phone conversation between him and Kushina.

"Me and Minato are doing just fine, you know. Before I forget Minato says hi. Anyways, how have you been doing, little brother? You seem to be distraught about something." Kushina stated out of curiosity.

"It's that today was my girlfriend's first day of work and she started to panic before she left. The reason was that she was afraid how people at work were going to be like. I reassured to her that everything's going to be alright." Tetsuya responded to Kushina's question with the distraught feeling being gone.

"I see, little brother. Have you showed your girlfriend the quilt that me, Minato, and Rin made yet?" Kushina asked on her end of the phone conversation.

"Oh blimey. I haven't shown my girlfriend the quilt yet; also, I almost forgot the promise I made to Rin. I am so sorry about that, Sis. It's that what I told you about my distraught concern had about caught me off guard." Tetsuya stated with a shocked tone.

"It's ok, little brother. Anyways I better get off the phone so I can start making dinner. I will talk to you later. I love you." Kushina stated to signal the end of the phone conversation.

"I love you too, Sis." Tetsuya said right as he hung up the phone.

After placing the phone on the counter right next to the dining room table, Tetsuya started eating his dinner which consisted of rice on top of a couple slices of pork. While eating dinner, Tetsuya started to feel a little bit guilty for not staying at the bakery to hear the news of Yuki's first day of work. " _I'm feeling very regretful for not being at the bakery. I hope Yuki isn't upset with me for making that decision._ " Tetsuya thought to himself while sorting out some things to prepare the guest bedroom.

Back at the bakery, the Sakagami family was eating dinner when Shia had a curious look on her face. This caught everyone around her off guard. It didn't take long for Shiznae and Yuki to realize why there was a curious look on Shia's face.

"Yosaki, do you want to know how Yuki's first day of work went? I think Shia is getting a little antsy since you didn't mention it yet." Shiznae asked Yosaki in a stern voice.

"Oh, I forgot to ask about that. Yuki how was your first day at work?" Yosaki responded in an apologetic tone.

"It went great, Dad. I am starting to like working there since everyone there was friendly to me. How was everyone else's day?" Yuki stated with a smile on her face.

Shiznae told Yuki about the conversation she had with Tetsuya earlier in the day and that everyone had a good day. Yuki was a bit surprised to hear her mother's statement and got ready to head out for Tetsuya's apartment once she got done cleaning her dinner dishes.

Tetsuya was taking a break from sorting things out for the guest room when he heard a knock on his door. Realizing who it was, Tetsuya opened the door and cleared out a spot in his sofa. That put a smile on his face after seeing Yuki standing there at the front door.

"Come on in, Yuki. Don't mind the mess it's that I am getting a head start in preparing my sister and brother-in-law's visit." Tetsuya greeted Yuki once she entered the apartment.

"I see that, Tetsuya. Anyways, Mom told me everything that you told her today. I was not upset that you did not want to eat dinner with my family. Do you want to hear about my first day of work?" Yuki responded once she took the empty seat on the sofa.

"I would love to hear it, Yuki." Tetsuya said with a smile on his face.

Then Yuki proceeded to tell Tetsuya the exact same thing she told her family and that led to Tetsuya feeling very happy for Yuki. Once Yuki got done explaining to Tetsuya about her first day of work, Tetsuya went to the kitchen to pour two glasses of juice and handed one cup to Yuki. Before he could sit down, Tetsuya remembered what Kushina had reminded him about during their phone conversation.

"I will be right back there being something that I want to show you, Yuki. I meant to do so once I got home from my trip but it slipped my mind." Tetsuya stated while he was on his way to get the quilt from out of his storage closet.

Once he returned with the quilt in his hand, Tetsuya proceeded to show Yuki the quilt laying it flat on the living room table. Yuki was amazed to see the quilt had pictures of things she likes.

"The quilt is very lovely, Tetsuya. It shows things I like on it which makes me very happy. Where did you get this quilt?" Yuki asked out of curiosity.

"This quilt was made by my sister, brother-in-law, and a dear family friend of mine. The friend came up with the idea after I told them about you and I gave them the picture ideas to be put on the quilt." Tetsuya responded with a gleeful look on his face.

"That was very thoughtful of them to do a thing for me. Do you mind if I take this quilt home with me, Tetsuya?" Yuki stated with a smile on her face.

"Of course, Yuki. It was the reason why the quilt was made in the first place and your family is going to love it when you show the quilt to them." Tetsuya responded while he was grabbing his phone off the counter where he placed it earlier.

That was when Tetsuya decided to put his phone on speaker and called the number that Rin gave him before returning from his trip. Yuki started to get a little curious on what Tetsuya was doing and chose not to say anything. After a couple of dials, the phone call came through.

"Hello. Is this Rin?" Tetsuya stated after the phone call got received.

"Yes, it's me. I'm a bit surprised that you're calling me at this hour, Tetsuya-senpai." Rin responded back on the phone.

"Well I wanted to tell you that I showed my girlfriend the quilt that you guys made and she liked it a lot. By the way you are on speaker phone and my girlfriend is sitting right here next to me." Tetsuya stated with an honest voice.

This somewhat surprised Rin but she realized that Tetsuya was making the wish she told him about a few days prior to come true. Now it became a little struggle for Rin to find the right words to say on the phone towards Yuki. While that was going on Tetsuya decided to clean up the glasses and refilled them with juice.

"If you can hear me, Yuki. Tetsuya-senpai told me so much about you and it wanted me to say something very special to you. You see Tetsuya-senpai has been like a big brother figure to me since the day I met him and he looked out for me whenever he had the chance to. I guess you saw that side of Tetsuya-senpai already. The main thing that I want to say is thank you for making my senpai the happiest he has ever been and loving him." Rin stated her thoughtful message.

Yuki started to have a tear in her eye once the message was received and Tetsuya came by to wipe off the tear. In that moment, Tetsuya felt happy that Rin expressed her message to Yuki with a kind heart.

"Thank you for saying those words, Rin. I know it's getting late over there and I better let you go. Tell that dimwitted mentor of yours the next time you see him that I said hello and not to cause any trouble." Tetsuya stated his final message of the phone conversation.

That is when Rin proceeded to say goodbye on her end of the phone and ended the conversation. However, Yuki was still acting the same way after Rin's message while Tetsuya was folding the quilt to place it on her hands.

"If you were wondering why Rin was referring me as Tetsuya-senpai. Well you see when we were alive Rin had been a student that my brother-in-law mentored and I would accompany them on a few outings to the point where she started to call me senpai. Also, the other thing about the big brother figure is that she looked out for me at times just like my sister did. However, my sister adored Rin so much that she considered her to be like a daughter figure. All the words Rin told you were true, Yuki. It's getting late. Do you want me to escort you home?" Tetsuya stated in a thoughtful manner.

"No but thank you for the offer though, Tetsuya. Thanks for the quilt. I better get going or else my dad will lock up the bakery since I didn't bring the key with me. I will see you later and I love you." Yuki responded once she gave Tetsuya a good-bye kiss.

Tetsuya waved to Yuki once she was on her way back to the bakery. Yuki did the same back to Tetsuya with a big smile on her face and clenching the quilt in her hands. Once Yuki made it back to the bakery, she saw her dad was getting ready to lock the bakery but chose to wait until Yuki stepped inside the bakery.

"You made it right as I was going to lock up, Yuki. What is it that you have in your hands?" Yosaki stated once Yuki entered the bakery.

"It's a quilt that Tetsuya brought back from his trip which was made for me by his sister, brother-in-law, and a family friend of his. Is Mom and Shia still up by any chance?" Yuki responded back with a calm look on her face.

"Well your mother is in the living room, but Shia went to bed about a half hour ago; by the way, that quilt is very nice. I am heading off to bed. Good night, Yuki. See you in the morning." Yosaki stated while giving off a yawn.

In that moment, Yuki went straight to the living room to find Shiznae reading a book with two cups of tea on the living room table. Yuki placed the quilt on the floor a few feet away from the sofa and proceeded to sit on the sofa. Shiznae placed her book down once she saw that Yuki was in the living room.

"Hello, sweetheart. Here is a cup of tea for you. I am guessing your father went to bed." Shiznae greeted Yuki while handing her a glass of tea.

"Yes, Dad just went to sleep. This tea is good, Mom." Yuki responded after taking a sip of tea.

"Thank you, Yuki. So, how was your visit with Tetsuya?" Shiznae asked out of curiosity.

"It went great, Mom. Tetsuya gave me this quilt which has pictures of things I like on it and he brought it back from his trip. The quilt was made by Tetsuya's sister, brother-in-law, and a dear family friend of his. You want to take a full look at it…..." Yuki responded before a tear started to drip down her face.

"What's wrong, sweetie? The quilt looks wonderful by the way." Shiznae asked with a worried look on her face.

"It was that Tetsuya had a phone conversation with his dear family friend named Rin. Anyways, the reason why I am a bit teary-eyed is that Tetsuya had given high praises about our relationship to Rin that she thanked me for loving Tetsuya and making him happy. I never knew that there were people that looked up to Tetsuya as a family figure until then. I feel happy to love such an amazing person as Tetsuya. Mom, I am happy that you liked the quilt and I can't wait to show it to Shia in the morning." Yuki responded while trying to wipe off the tears in her eyes.

"I think you are starting to realize that Tetsuya is a very special person and your love for him has gotten stronger because of that reason. Look it took me a few months after I started dating your father before making the same realization that you are right now, Yuki. Anyways I am starting to get sleepy." Shiznae stated right before she headed off to bed.

In that moment, Yuki thanked her mother for having that conversation and proceeded to place her new quilt right next to her. " _I think Mom is right. Tetsuya is a very special person that cares about the needs of others including me. This has been one of the happiest days I've had in a long time._ " Yuki thought to herself right before she fell asleep.

The following day, Tetsuya woke up a little later than usual since he did not have to work for the next couple of days. This gave Tetsuya a chance to go get some supplies and decorations in preparation for Minato and Kushina's visit. However, Tetsuya had walked out of his apartment to head the shopping district before a familiar face approached him. Realizing from the short purple hair, Tetsuya knew that it was his close friend Ryou Fujibayashi.

"Hi, Tetsuya. Are you heading somewhere?" Ryou greeted and asked out of curiosity.

"Oh hello, Ryou. Yes, I am heading to the shopping district." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face.

"I see, Tetsuya. You can tag along with me since I need to get somethings from there as well. That is the reason why I wanted to see if you were around so we can have the day to catch up." Ryou stated in response to Tetsuya's answer.

Tetsuya agreed to accompany alongside Ryou to the shopping district. This had Ryou curious into why Tetsuya needed to be at the shopping district. However, Tetsuya had noticed something was a little odd and looked at Ryou with a curious face.

"Hmm…. how come Kyou is not with you, Ryou? If you don't mind me asking." Tetsuya stated with curiosity.

"Well she wanted to stay home and take care of Botan since she's been not feeling the greatest. How come you wanted to go to the shopping district, Tetsuya?" Ryou responded with a calm look on her face.

"I hope Botan feels better. To tell you the truth, I wanted to be at the shopping district so I can get some decorations and cleaning supplies for my apartment." Tetsuya stated with a smile on his face.

To Ryou that was unusual for her to hear Tetsuya expressed his reason for going to the shopping district outside of eating or getting clothes. Once they got to the shopping district, Tetsuya and Ryou found a place to eat lunch. While waiting for their lunch to be served, Ryou had a curious look towards Tetsuya.

"I was surprised to hear the response you gave me earlier, Tetsuya. Is there a special occasion going on that you need to clean your apartment for?" Ryou asked with a sigh underneath her breath.

"You remember when I was heading on that trip after our graduation. Well I managed to reconcile with my sister and brother-in-law which turned out to be very successful. Anyways, once I told them everything including my relationship with Yuki; that was when my sister asked me that she and my brother-in-law could visit the area. A couple of days ago, I contacted my sister to make plans for their visit and they are going to be here in a couple of weeks. That is why I need to redecorate and clean my apartment." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face.

"I am very happy for you, Tetsuya. The one thing that you told me and Kyou right after we first met you is coming true. It will be very nice to meet your sister and brother-in-law. So how is Yuki doing since it has been a while that I last saw her?" Ryou stated with a smile on her face.

Tetsuya wanted to finish his lunch before answering Ryou's question and with that they proceeded to the décor store two blocks away.

"Well Yuki has been doing great you see she started working at a local noodle shop yesterday. She was inspired to find a job is because of me. You see I had been working for her family at the bakery for a couple of days and it's been going great. Besides the fact that they gave me the next two days off which explains the reason I am here, Ryou." Tetsuya responded with a smile on his face.

While he was at the décor store getting the things, he needed Tetsuya started to wonder what Yuki was doing at this very moment. " _Hmm…maybe after I drop this stuff that I am getting off at the apartment. I can stop by the playground across the street from the bakery and hope that Yuki notices me there._ " Tetsuya thought to himself once he was at the checkout line.

Meanwhile at the Sakagami Bakery, Yuki and her family just got done eating lunch when business was simmered down. Yuki had a short day at work which she came back right before lunch was served. While Yuki was cleaning up the lunch dishes, she notices that Shia had a curious look on her face.

"What is it, Shia?" Yuki asked out of curiosity.

"I was curious about that blanket thing you were sleeping with last night. It is unique from what I saw of it, Yuki." Shia responded with a calm look on her face.

"Oh, it's a quilt that Tetsuya gave me last night and I wanted to show you it once I came back from his apartment however you were asleep. The quilt was made by Tetsuya's family and a family friend of his while he was on his trip. Right as he gave me the quilt, Tetsuya had contacted his family friend and put her on speaker phone. Then she expressed her appreciation on my love for Tetsuya. I did not fully realize until that moment that there were people in Tetsuya's life that are very happy for him and is very special to them. There was something else about that encounter…..." Yuki stated right before she paused to take a sip of water.

"You don't have to tell me the rest, Yuki. The reason is that Mom told me this morning about the late-night conversation you two had. I agree with every word she said. I think Tetsuya has made you very special ever since you met him. It is because of that reason I strongly believe that you two were made for each other." Shia stated with a smile on her face.


End file.
